CEM REPORT, AGROFOOD | The United States of America has injected a vital $9.5 million grant into the African Development Bank Group’s (AfDB) Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative, igniting a beacon of hope for a food-secure future across the continent.
This strategic investment, embedded within the broader US government’s “Feed the Future” global hunger initiative, marks a pivotal step towards revolutionizing African agriculture. AfDB revealed this announcement on its website.
Empowering Millions Through TAAT
This renewed commitment builds upon TAAT’s remarkable achievements to date. The initiative has already equipped 13 million farmers in 40 African nations with climate-resilient agricultural technologies and fertilizers, fostering a tangible rise in food production and food security.
TAAT’s ambitious vision hinges on doubling the productivity of staple crops, livestock, and fisheries by 2025. By making proven technologies accessible to over 40 million agricultural producers, the initiative aspires to generate an additional 120 million tons of food, effectively transforming Africa from a food importer to a potential breadbasket for the world.
“The USAID grant will help expand the reach of TAAT II further,” declared Antony Blinken, US Secretary of State, during his visit to the AfDB headquarters in Abidjan.
Applauding Leadership and Impact
“Extraordinary work is being done to get to a place where Africa feeds itself and a place where Africa feeds the world,” lauded Blinken, commending AfDB President Akinwumi Adesina’s exceptional leadership. He further applauded the Bank’s “powerful and inspiring impact,” emphasizing, “You are setting an example for others about how a bank is run.”
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Akinwumi Adesina, AfDB President, commended the US for its unwavering commitment to Africa’s development. “The bank and the US government share a long-standing, results-oriented track record of collaboration,” he stated. This partnership extends beyond financial support, with both entities pledging to identify synergies between TAAT II and the US State Department’s Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) activities.
Beyond Rice
Recognizing the potential beyond rice, Blinken highlighted the Biden administration’s commitment to exploring climate-resilient and highly nutritious crops indigenous to Africa. This aligns perfectly with the AfDB’s AfricaRice initiative, launched in 2018 with the express purpose of boosting rice production. The initiative has already yielded phenomenal results, with rice yields soaring by 25% and livelihoods improving by over 31% across its 28 member countries.
A Longstanding Partnership for Shared Prosperity
The US stands as the second-largest shareholder among all AfDB member countries and the leading contributor to the African Development Fund, a testament to its unwavering commitment to Africa’s development. As Adesina aptly noted, “The bank and the US government share a long-standing, results-oriented track record of collaboration on several issues.”
This $9.5 million grant is more than just a financial injection; it’s a powerful symbol of unwavering solidarity and a shared vision for a food-secure Africa. By harnessing the transformative potential of cutting-edge technologies and nurturing a spirit of collaboration, the US-Africa partnership paves the way for a future where African farmers flourish, and the continent thrives as a beacon of agricultural abundance.
More on TAAT
TAAT’s overall objective is to harness proven technologies to raise agricultural productivity in Africa; mitigate risks and promote diversification and processing in 18 agricultural value chains within eight priority intervention areas. Overall, it aims to increase food output by 100 million tons and lift 40 million people out of poverty by 2025.
The programme deploys technologies at scale along nine commodity value chains; Â maize, rice, wheat, high-iron bean, cassava, orange-fleshed sweet potato, sorghum/millet, livestock and aquaculture.
Six enabler compacts address cross-cutting issues such as soil fertility management, water management, capacity development, policy support, attracting African youth in agribusiness and fall armyworm response.