The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Programme (TAAT-III) to scale climate-resilient food production across Africa.
This was disclosed in a statement published on the Bank’s website on Friday.
The agreement, signed in Abuja, reinforces efforts to modernise African agriculture through proven technologies, stronger seed systems, and deeper collaboration among research institutions, governments, and private sector players.
The AfDB said the initiative has also expanded climate-resilient farming practices across more than 35 million hectares of land.
The new phase, the statement noted, is expected to consolidate these gains while accelerating deployment across vulnerable countries.
What they are saying
Officials say the third phase of the programme will focus on scaling innovation faster and strengthening delivery systems. They emphasised that the initiative aligns with broader efforts to transform Africa’s food systems and build resilience against climate shocks.
- “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,” said Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department.
- “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,” said Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA.
Financed through the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, TAAT-III is designed to consolidate earlier gains while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model.
More Insights
The AfDB stated that the programme has delivered measurable productivity gains across several African countries through collaboration with CGIAR and national and regional partners. It has also generated significant economic value while improving resilience to climate shocks.
- TAAT has increased crop yields by as much as 69 percent and generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value, the bank said.
- Countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have recorded notable improvements in staple crop productivity and climate resilience.
- In Nigeria, under the Wheat Compact, farmers who adopted improved heat-tolerant wheat varieties more than doubled yields from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons per hectare.
- Programme-supported seed system assessments have informed national reforms aimed at expanding access to certified, climate-resilient seeds.
What you should know
TAAT was launched in 2018 and has grown into one of Africa’s most impactful agricultural innovation platforms, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and improving productivity across major staple crops, according to the bank.
- TAAT-III is expected to reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund.
- Last week, Nairametrics reports that AfDB approved a $200 million loan to support climate-smart and technology-driven agriculture in Nigeria.
