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The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) signed a $27 million agreement on Wednesday to finance the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) Phase II program.
Dr. Abdul Kamara, Director-General of the Nigeria AfDB Group, reaffirmed the AfDB’s commitment to advancing agricultural transformation across Africa during the signing ceremony.
Kamara stated that the agreement aligns with the AfDB’s Feed Africa strategy, which aims to boost smallholder farmers’ productivity and enhance food security.
Kamara highlighted that the additional financing builds on the $40 million provided for Phase I of TAAT. This second phase will focus on expanding access to agricultural technologies for over 40 million smallholder farmers across the continent.
Enhancing food security
He emphasized that the TAAT program is not just an agricultural initiative but a transformational effort aimed at enhancing food security, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
“This Additional Financing of the TAAT Programme builds on Phase I, which the Bank funded with $40 million, and Phase II with $27 million implemented by IITA (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 a 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 added that the program would support activities such as farmer capacity building, digital agriculture solutions, extension services, and private sector investment in agricultural value chains.
He reiterated AfDB’s commitment to supporting agricultural research and innovation to drive Africa’s food security agenda, emphasizing that TAAT remains a key instrument in achieving the continent’s long-term agricultural goals.
What you should know
- Dr. Simeon Ehui, Director-General of IITA, commended AfDB for its sustained partnership and leadership in driving Africa’s agricultural transformation.
- Ehui reaffirmed IITA’s commitment to working with CGIAR Centers, National Agricultural Research Institutions, and the private sector to ensure the success of the program.
- 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.
He highlighted the successes of TAAT Phase I, which included the facilitation of scaling improved seed varieties, climate-smart practices, and mechanization solutions to millions of farmers. For Phase II, he said efforts would focus on accelerating the deployment of agricultural technologies, strengthening partnerships, promoting youth and women’s engagement in agribusiness, and enhancing food and nutrition security.
“With this grant, we reaffirm our commitment to delivering impact-driven agricultural solutions. The journey ahead requires sustained investment, policy support, and strong collaboration,” said Ehui.
Ehui added that IITA would continue working closely with AfDB and other stakeholders to ensure the program contributes to the reduction of food imports and unlocks Africa’s agricultural potential.
