The African Development Bank Group and MasterCard are co-chairing a new initiative called Mobilising Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance Africa, which seeks to give digital access to key services to 100 million Africans and companies over the next decade.

The African Development Bank plans to bring 3 million farmers in Kenya, Tanzania, and Nigeria into the digital economy through MasterCard Community Pass as part of the first phase of its $300 million commitment to the Alliance's initial five years of programming.

Farmers who use Community Pass receive a digital credential that allows them to access a network of digital agricultural agents.

Equity Bank Group, Microsoft, Heifer International, the Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, Unconnected.org, Yara, the Kenya National Farmers' Federation, the Shell Foundation, and CRDB Bank are all members of the Alliance.

The Alliance also receives financial support from the United States Agency for International Development.

Dr. Beth Dunford, African Development Bank vice president for agriculture, human and social development, spoke about the opportunities that digitalisation offers to Africa's farmers and food systems on World Food Day yesterday.

“Africa is home to 65% of the planet’s remaining uncultivated, arable land, and we believe that agriculture is a critical sector to drive Africa’s development. Agriculture accounts for nearly 60% of total employment in Africa and more than 25% of GDP in its low-income countries,” she said.

Dunford emphasised the critical role of women in agriculture, noting that they provide an estimated 60% to 80% of labour input to the sector.

“Growth in agriculture is incredibly effective in lifting people out of poverty, providing agency to women, feeding Africa’s people, and positioning the continent as a breadbasket to the world,” she added.

Despite the potential, Africa’s smallholder farmers face significant challenges, including limited access to quality inputs like seeds and fertiliser, and affordable financing.

The MADE Alliance Africa aims to address these issues by enhancing sustainable digital access to critical services.

Through MasterCard’s Community Pass, local banks will provide digital credentials to millions of smallholder farmers and women, facilitating access to high-quality inputs and digital services.

Dunford said the MADE Alliance Africa represents a significant step towards transforming Africa’s agriculture sector through digitalisation.