AfDB, IITA Seal $16.61m Deal to Scale Climate-Smart Agriculture
The African Development Bank Group and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation programme (TAAT-III), aimed at accelerating climate-resilient food production across the continent.
According to a statement published on the Bank’s website, the agreement was signed in Abuja and will support the deployment of proven agricultural technologies, strengthen seed systems and deepen collaboration among research institutions, governments and private sector players.
Financed through the African Development Fund, the Bank’s concessional lending window, TAAT-III is expected to consolidate gains recorded under previous phases while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model.
The AfDB disclosed that earlier phases of the programme have expanded climate-resilient farming practices across more than 35 million hectares of land and delivered measurable productivity gains in several African countries.
Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, said the new phase aligns with the Bank’s broader agricultural transformation strategy.
“TAAT-III underscores the Bank’s commitment to ensuring that proven, climate-resilient agricultural technologies reach farmers faster and at scale. This phase strengthens the systems that deliver innovation, helping countries boost productivity and enhance resilience,” he said.
Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA, noted that the programme would deepen the delivery of science-based solutions to farmers.
“Working with the Bank and our partners, we are scaling technologies that make Africa’s food systems more resilient and competitive,” Ehui said.
According to the Bank, TAAT has increased crop yields by as much as 69 per cent and generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value across participating countries. Nearly 25 million farmers have benefited from the initiative since its launch in 2018.
In Nigeria, under the Wheat Compact, farmers adopting improved heat-tolerant wheat varieties increased yields from 1.7 tonnes per hectare to 3.5 tonnes per hectare, more than doubling output. Countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia and Zimbabwe have also recorded improvements in staple crop productivity and climate resilience.
TAAT-III is projected to reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries supported by the African Development Fund.
The latest grant comes amid growing investment in climate-smart agriculture. Last week, the AfDB approved a $200 million loan to support technology-driven agriculture in Nigeria, signalling continued financial backing for productivity-led reforms across the continent’s food systems.
