Additional 14 million farmers in 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund, the Bank Group's concessional financing window, are set to benefit from a technology initiative targeted at scaling up climate-resilient food production across the continent.
This comes after the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Programme (TAAT-III)
TAAT-III, funded by the African Development Fund, is expected to consolidate earlier gains benefiting 14 million more farmers while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery approach.
AfDB said the initiative aims to reinforce seed and technology distribution systems, deepen partnerships with governments and agribusinesses, and expand the digital tools, including its technology e-catalogues and real-time monitoring platforms, to speed up deployment of high‑impact solutions.
Simeon Ehui, director general of IITA, commented: “TAAT-III allows us to deepen the delivery of science‑based solutions that improve farmers’ yields and livelihoods. Working with the Bank and our partners, we are scaling technologies that make Africa’s food systems more resilient and competitive.”
Since its launch in 2018, TAAT has become one of Africa’s most effective and transformative platforms for agricultural innovation, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and boosting productivity across major staples.
The initiative has expanded climate-resilient agricultural practices across over 35 million hectares.
In a statement, the AfDB said working closely with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres and national and regional partners, TAAT has increased crop yields up to 69% and generated more than $4 billion in additional agricultural value.
Countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have recorded notable gains in staple crop productivity and resilience to climate shocks.
Nigeria has been a key beneficiary of TAAT initiatives. Under its Wheat Compact, farmers adopting improved heat-tolerant varieties more than doubled yields from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons per hectare.
Programme supported seed system assessments also helped inform national reforms to expand access to certified, climate-resilient seeds.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Abdul Kamara, director general of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, said the new phase will focus on scaling innovation more rapidly
Kamara said: “TAAT-III underscores the Bank’s commitment to ensuring that proven, climate-resilient agricultural technologies reach farmers faster and at scale. This phase strengthens the systems that deliver innovation, helping countries boost productivity, enhance resilience, and align agricultural transformation efforts with the Bank’s four new areas of emphasis, dubbed the Four Cardinal Points.”
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