The African Development Bank is providing a grant of 5 million euros to supplement the International Tropical Agricultural Institute (IITA) to promote food security and climate-addicted agriculture across Africa.
Nigeria’s Director of Banking, Dr. Abdul Kamala, and Ita’s Director, Dr. Simeon Ehui, signed a grant agreement in Abuja on March 13th, marking an important milestone in the second phase of the technology of the African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT-II) program.
Funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through the donation window of the bank’s transition support facility, the grant supports shocking agricultural activities under TAAT-II. Previously, on July 15, 2022, the Banking Group’s board approved $27 million to commence this important second phase, strengthening efforts to transform agriculture across the continent.
Taat is a flagship program under the Bank’s Feed Africa Strategy implemented by IITA in collaboration with the world’s largest global agricultural innovation network, the National Agricultural Research and Expansion Systems, and the major private sector partner CCGIAR.
The program employs a local approach to agricultural productivity by rapidly providing proven technology to millions of farmers across the continent. The bank previously funded Stage 1 (TAAT-I) for $40 million, successfully delivering transformative crop, livestock and fish production technology to over 20 million farmers in over 31 African countries. These efforts have strengthened food security, increased farmer income, and increased agriculture resilience.
Based on the outcomes of the TAAT-I programme, TAAT-II aims to expand agricultural innovation across the continent, equipping the country with the tools it needs to increase productivity and promote economic growth. This €5 million grant will support target transformation efforts under the TAAT-II programme. This includes expanding farmer training programs, including increasing productivity, enhancing the technical capabilities of the National Agriculture Organization, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices that build climate change resilience.
The grant will directly benefit Nigeria, Tanzania, Mozambique, Malawi, Uganda and Rwanda, promote knowledge transfer, equip smallholder farmers with advanced agricultural techniques, and establish more resilient and self-difficultural sectors in these countries.
At the signing ceremony, Dr. Kamala reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to agricultural transformation in Africa. “TAAT is more than just an agricultural program. It is an innovative initiative that continues to utilize cutting-edge technology and support the adequacy of food in Africa. It will impact and expand its impact on past successes, and the African Development Bank believes the program will boost Africa’s productivity boundaries, strengthen food security and create economic opportunities for millions of people.”
Dr. Ehui emphasized the promotion of real impact when grants are most needed, highlighting IITA’s role as a key execution partner, allowing African farmers to directly access the best agricultural innovations.
“This investment will help CGIAR expand its proven technology, strengthen its seed systems, empowering farmers with climate-bearing solutions. We are working with African Development Bank and other partners to ensure that smallholder farmers at the heart of African food systems will benefit from these advances,” Ehui said.
