AfDB, IITA Partner to Drive Agricultural Innovation with €5m Investment

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has entered into a partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) to fund Phase II of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme.

As a key element of the AfDB’s Feed Africa Strategy, TAAT is designed to enhance food security by improving productivity among smallholder farmers.

The programme aims to double yields in crops, livestock, and fish by broadening access to cutting-edge agricultural technologies for more than 40 million smallholder farmers across Africa.

During the signing ceremony held in Abuja on Wednesday, AfDB’s Director-General for Nigeria, Dr Abdul Kamara, hailed the agreement as a testament to the Bank’s unwavering support for agricultural transformation on the continent.

He affirmed the Bank’s commitment to fostering collaborations with partners such as the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research to speed up progress.

Kamara highlighted that TAAT employs a regional strategy in rolling out agricultural technologies, with a focus on climate-resilient innovations aimed at combating pests and diseases that hinder food production.

“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,” Kamara stated.

He further explained that Phase II of TAAT builds on the achievements of Phase I, which received $40m in funding. The current phase has secured an additional $27m, with IITA acting as the lead implementer in collaboration with CGIAR Centres and National Agricultural Research Institutions across several African nations.

“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 added.

Acknowledging Germany’s role, he emphasised that the new funding would empower TAAT Phase II to scale agricultural innovations, bolster food security, and enhance climate resilience throughout Africa.

Dr Simeon Ehui, Director-General of IITA and CGIAR Regional Director for Continental Africa, described the agreement as a pivotal step towards reshaping agriculture on the continent.

“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 remarked.

He commended AfDB’s consistent support for Africa’s agricultural advancement, pointing out that TAAT had already showcased the transformative impact of science-driven solutions in increasing productivity, improving farmers’ livelihoods, and fortifying food systems in numerous African countries.

The TAAT initiative is set to play a crucial role in equipping African nations to achieve food self-sufficiency. It will focus on providing smallholder farmers with access to high-yield seeds, modern irrigation systems, and contemporary farming practices to strengthen agricultural productivity and resilience.