AfDB, IITA sign $27m agreement to boost agricultural transformation in Africa

THE African Development Bank (AfDB) and International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) on Wednesday signed a 27-million-dollar agreement to finance the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Phase II programme.

Dr Abdul Kamara, the director-general, Nigeria AfDB Group, who said this at the signing ceremony, reaffirmed the AfDB’s commitment to advancing agricultural transformation across Africa.

Kamara said the agreement aligns with its Feed Africa strategy, which seeks to boost smallholder farmers’ productivity and enhance food security.

He said the additional financing built on the 40 million dollars provided for Phase I of TAAT would focus on expanding access to agricultural technologies for over 40 million smallholder farmers across the continent.

According to him, the TAAT programme is not just an agricultural initiative but a transformational effort aimed at enhancing food security, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.

Read Also: Unlock Nigeria’s economic potential, FG tasks finance ministry

“This additional financing of the TAAT programme is building on Phase I which the bank funded with 40 million dollars, and Phase II with 27 million dollars implemented by IITÀ (as lead implementer), working closely with other CGIAR Centers and National Agricultural Research Institutions in many countries.

“This additional financing of the TAAT Phase II programme is financed with five million Euro grant from the donor contributions window of the Transition Support Facility (TSF), thanks to the generous contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany.

“TAAT Phase II will focus on empowering low-income African countries by increasing productivity, strengthening food systems, improving farmers’ incomes, and positioning Africa to become a net food exporter,”Kamara said.

According to the DG, the programme will support activities such as farmer capacity building, digital agriculture solutions, extension services, and private sector investment in agricultural value chains.

Also speaking, the IITA director-general, Dr Simeon Ehui, commended AfDB for its sustained partnership and leadership in driving Africa’s agricultural transformation.

Ehui reaffirmed IITA’s commitment to working with CGIAR Centres, National Agricultural Research Institutions, and the private sector to ensure the success of the programme.

According to Ehui, TAAT has already demonstrated the power of science-driven solutions in improving productivity, strengthening food systems, and enhancing farmers’ resilience to climate change.

“With this grant, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering impact-driven agricultural solutions. The journey ahead requires sustained investment, policy support, and strong collaboration,” IITA director-general said.