AfDB, IITA sign €5m deal to boost agriculture

The African Development Bank Group has signed an agreement with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture to finance Phase II of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation programme.

The TAAT programme is a core component of the AfDB’s Feed Africa Strategy, aimed at enhancing food security by increasing the productivity of smallholder farmers.

Its objective is to double crop, livestock, and fish production by expanding access to advanced agricultural technologies for over 40 million smallholder farmers across Africa.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Abuja on Wednesday, AfDB’s Director-General for Nigeria, Dr Abdul Kamara, described the agreement as a reaffirmation of the Bank’s commitment to Africa’s agricultural transformation.

He said the bank would continue to leverage partnerships, including those with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research, to accelerate progress.

Kamara noted that the TAAT programme takes a regional approach in deploying agricultural technologies, particularly climate-resilient innovations that tackle pests and diseases affecting food production.

According to him, “Transforming African agriculture to the magnitude and scale that is targeted in the Feed Africa Strategy also requires addressing complementary bottlenecks in agricultural supply chains, seed and fertiliser policies, and regulatory failures, as well as revamping extension services that impede access to locally adapted inputs and output markets.”

He explained that the additional financing for TAAT Phase II builds on Phase I, which was funded with $40m, while Phase II has received $27m, with IITA serving as the lead implementer in collaboration with CGIAR Centres and National Agricultural Research Institutions in several countries.

“This Additional Financing of the TAAT Phase II Programme is financed with a €5m grant from the Donor Contributions Window of the Transition Support Facility, thanks to the generous contribution of the Federal Republic of Germany, for which we remain very grateful,” Kamara stated.

He acknowledged Germany’s support, stressing that the funding would enable TAAT Phase II to scale up agricultural innovations, strengthen food security, and enhance climate resilience across Africa.

On his part, Dr Simeon Ehui, Director-General of the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, described the agreement as a significant milestone in the collective effort to transform agriculture on the continent.

He said, “The signing of this €5m grant agreement between IITA and the African Development Bank for Phase II of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation programme is a testament to the power of collaboration and innovation in addressing food security challenges across the continent.”

Ehui commended the AfDB for its steadfast commitment to Africa’s agricultural transformation, stating that TAAT had already demonstrated the impact of science-driven solutions in boosting productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and strengthening food systems across multiple African nations.

The TAAT programme is expected to play a critical role in helping African countries achieve self-sufficiency in food production, particularly by equipping smallholder farmers with access to high-yield seeds, improved irrigation systems, and modern farming techniques.