'Togo is a former Trustee territory which became independent in 1956

It has a population of'just Over 1,000,000^ depending principally on the production of palm- oil," coffee and cocoa in the south, and cotton and ground

nuts in tho north. Provident Societies were established in 1934 and wero

supervised and^assisted by a Common Fund, set up a few years later. In 1956 a bank>. the. Credit -'dtr Togo,: was egtablished^with the sole right to lend- to:agricultural organizations and;: individuals. ''''■ - '■ ;

In 1959" the Provident Societies were replaced by Public Societies for Rural ftc^iori, bf which ^here were 11 in 1$&« Their objects are to promote

production, marketing and processing, supply agricultural requirements,, make

loans, accept deposits', provide rural education, especially in co-operation,

encourage the formation of primary* mu"foal societies and draw up plans of work for members who have not yet joined mutuals" or co-operatives, They are

governed by a general meeting of delegates elected by the members, which in turn elects the managing committee„ The director is appointed by the Prime Minister. They are financed by the compulsory contributions of members, by loans from the Credit du Togo and by grants. They are affiliated to the

Federation, a public body attached to the Ministry of Agriculture, which has

taken over the administrative functions of the Common Fund,

There were in i960 11 SP£R, with 250,000 members. They are entitled to form specialised sections with separate accounts which might be converted into co-operatives, and it was envisaged that the SPAH might ultimately become a union of such co-operatives « In i960 there were not more than five, one carrying on joint farming and the rest marketing coffee or cocoa* There were in addition'Siz independent co-operatives^ one of which catered to consumers, and about 300 local mutual societies with some 4500 members, mostly in the south and centre of the country and directly linked with the Credit du Togo, which lends for agricultural productive purposes on the security of produce

EsassaaMaaaacs^aj

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Page 6$

to be delivered and also makes housing loans to improve the traditional standard of dwBlUn^^ , In 1960 >he, advances totalled about #r-v150,000,000,

^Hffi Planter^ mutuals. and one,uhiqn^f 100 societies'fdr tne

cocoa a^ ^feer ;whi^,consMtutes a "'specialised sec-felon" of

^, 18., selling cotton,, one of s1;6c3&reederS

-. plantations-, f

. settlements^re i^iajed, one,.in,, 1S56 with 400, families^ and ime in 1959 it J40 families. :._ .. .;.,,;,. . .... . ...,..- :...,. _-,.;■ ,... , ., ... ;,,,, .;...,.,,;;

, ■v.The SPAS federation i& planning the eltablishment of :'a Centre for"

a'teîrarVîch'.ûld'"''

. P^Q»P*e .v^q-^peratiw d&velopnieW,' ^oriri' societies and supervise! their "

si-a mibsidiary of i&e SPAR' FedeSiion u^ti'i

^bses: ifs .official Character and beeves^[ ""'[

unidh, - It ±'ja^ anticipated: that "4e proposed Centre will include a co-operative training school. Up till nbw'senior '"

î|ers,ha^; been, trained in ânce,ând most o^Hhem are

on, some, aspect of ;co-rppera1;ive.;.developmentV - ■ ^Zi:': "::':

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Page 70

DAHOMEY

,,, ,r.I)ahomey is^a member-State df: the French1 Community, with a population of. about 1,700,000, largely: dependent on: subsistence agriculture and the '- export; of copra-and a few other crops*; The approach io co-operation was .through Provident Societies, one of ■which was formed in each su"D-division,

combined with some local cooperatives for marketing, well-digging and the improvement of cultivation. In 1953 one provident society Was transformed

.into a. Mutual Society for Rural Production, i. central Agricultural tiredit

Bank was set up in 1931? which later became the Bank of'Benin. The first group of .co~oper;atiyes:, formed at?out 1947? together..with their union, did not survive long.,., but. m.ore, have been formed (there were 32-in 196o)y mostly for tho. joint...cultivation..of,land?."bat.including- some for. marketing-.-pxoducQ and.

three fishery co-Kiperatiyes, the nipm^ers of lihich-are. the skippers ofma£ine fishing craft.f Their formation, was aided; by, tjie Oil;'and Oil-; Products ^sear Institute in Paris, ..TJiere..rare also some credift aiad-marketing societies-' directly controlled, by; t^e Bank, of Benin* , ■ ..,.:•.■-...,,_■-.. ■ /. ..'■.-.:■

:.::i-..-..■-.. C.OrtpperativB development is" M preset- direoted' iy"a^Sta^'Secretariat for Rural Action and Go-operatxonj which forms-part of the Ministry of

Agriculture. A project has, however, been put forward for the establishment

of a State Company which would promote the formation of co-operatives and

provide technical and material aid with the financial support of the Bank

of Benin. Up to the end of 196"Osfuture policy regarding cooperation was

still awaiting clarification. No co-operative training courses have so

far been held in Dahomey, but a number of men have been sent to Franco

for training in this field. Few of thorn, however, havo boon placed in corporative posts on their return.

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Page 71

NIGERIA

Nigeria,' which'attained its' independence" "in" October9 i960? has been

since 1952 a federation consisting' of .the tarthern. Eastern and Western ' ■ ■ . regions,'with the" Federal Capital'at Lagos, has a population of-'about'

32,000,000 and considerable natural wealth. ' The Northern Hej^oh'-prOdixo&r

vinliiei^-kAk:V»«ll;-as.:grotai4-nu1;s,.oo*t.tpn and cattle. The .Eastern: and; ; ■ ■ ..■■;■

Western ■regions,- which- lie mainly .in -the forest "belt,.- produce palm.products,

coooay timber and rubber, . ■■■ ■ ■./. , . ; ■ ■ ,

Co-operation was first introduced in 1922 by the Department of ■ Agriculture,":which initiated a number of cocoa sale societies" ■'with the

object of Improving the drying and fermerii)ation-"of the products A Co- ;:

Dans le document The co-operative movement in Africa (Page 70-73)