The African Development Bank Group and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have signed a $16.61 million grant to roll out the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation programme (TAAT-III), deepening efforts to modernise African agriculture and strengthen food security under a changing climate.
Signed in Abuja, the agreement targets faster scaling of proven, climate-resilient technologies, stronger seed systems and wider partnerships linking research institutions, governments and agribusinesses.
Launched in 2018, TAAT has emerged as one of the continent’s most impactful agricultural innovation platforms, reaching nearly 25 million farmers and expanding resilient practices across more than 35 million hectares. Working with CGIAR centres and national partners, the programme has lifted yields by as much as 69% and generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value across key staples.
Nigeria illustrates the gains. Under the Wheat Compact, farmers using improved heat-tolerant varieties more than doubled yields from 1.7 tonnes per hectare to 3.5 tonnes, while seed-system assessments supported reforms to widen access to certified, climate-ready seeds. Countries including Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Sudan have also recorded productivity and resilience gains.
Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, said TAAT-III will accelerate delivery at scale. “This phase strengthens the systems that move innovation to farmers faster, boosting productivity and resilience while aligning with the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points,” he noted.
Financed through the African Development Fund, TAAT-III will consolidate earlier gains while shifting toward a more sustainable, private-sector-led delivery model. The focus includes reinforcing seed and technology distribution, deepening government–agribusiness partnerships and expanding digital tools—such as technology e-catalogues and real-time monitoring—to speed deployment.
IITA Director General Simeon Ehui said the new phase would deepen science-based delivery. “We are scaling solutions that raise yields, improve livelihoods and make Africa’s food systems more competitive,” he said.
TAAT also played a central role in supporting the Bank’s Africa Emergency Food Production Facility during recent global shocks. The third phase aims to embed these innovations within long-term national investment strategies and reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries.
