AfDB awards $16.6m grant to IITA to scale agricultural technologies in Africa

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 Program (TAAT-III), aimed at scaling climate-resilient food production across the continent.

The agreement, signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, bolsters a shared commitment to modernise African agriculture by scaling proven technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding partnerships among research institutions, governments, and private sector actors.

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. Working closely with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and national and regional partners, TAAT has increased crop yields as much as 69 percent 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: “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.”

Financed through the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, TAAT-III will consolidate earlier gains while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model.

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, remarked: “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.”

TAAT featured prominently in supporting the Bank Group’s Africa Emergency Food Production Facility, helping countries to rapidly deploy improved seeds and technologies to stabilise food supplies during recent global disruptions.

The programme’s third phase seeks to embed these innovations within long-term national agricultural investment strategies.

TAAT-III is expected to reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional financing window.