The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) have entered into a $16.61 million grant agreement to kick off the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Programme, known as TAAT-III, with the goal of expanding climate-resilient food production across the continent.
The agreement was signed in Abuja and announced through a statement on the Bank’s official website on Friday.
The partnership is aimed at modernising African agriculture by deploying proven farming technologies, strengthening seed systems, and deepening cooperation among research institutions, governments, and private sector stakeholders. According to the AfDB, previous phases of the programme have already extended climate-resilient farming practices across more than 35 million hectares. The new phase is designed to build on those results while fast-tracking deployment in the most vulnerable countries.
What Officials Are Saying
Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, said the programme reflects the institution’s determination to get effective agricultural technologies into the hands of farmers quickly and at scale, adding that the phase strengthens delivery systems and aligns with the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points priorities.
Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA, said the programme enables deeper delivery of science-based solutions that improve yields and livelihoods, and positions Africa’s food systems to become more resilient and competitive.
Financed through the African Development Fund — the Bank Group’s concessional lending arm — TAAT-III introduces a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model while consolidating gains from earlier phases.
Key Figures and Outcomes
The programme has recorded significant results since its 2018 launch. Crop yields have risen by as much as 69 percent in participating countries, and the initiative has generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value. Nations including Nigeria, Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Zimbabwe have reported measurable improvements in staple crop productivity. In Nigeria specifically, farmers who adopted heat-tolerant wheat varieties under the Wheat Compact more than doubled their yields — from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons. Seed system assessments supported by the programme have also driven national policy reforms to broaden access to certified, climate-resilient seeds.
TAAT has reached nearly 25 million farmers since its inception and grown into one of Africa’s most influential agricultural innovation platforms. TAAT-III is projected to extend that reach to an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries. The development comes shortly after the AfDB approved a separate $200 million loan to support climate-smart, technology-driven agriculture in Nigeria.
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