Nigeria and Five African Nations Secure €5 Million Grant for Climate-Smart Agriculture
A significant €5 million grant has been allocated to bolster agricultural activities in Nigeria and five other African countries, aimed at strengthening the delivery of climate-smart agricultural technologies across the continent. This funding, provided by Germany and administered through the African Development Bank's Transition Support Facility (TSF Pillar IV), will benefit Rwanda, Uganda, Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi alongside Nigeria.
High-Level Meeting in Kigali Sets the Stage
The grant was a central topic at a high-level Work Planning Meeting convened by the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) in Kigali, Rwanda, from March 23 to 24, 2026. Supported by the African Development Bank, the meeting gathered key stakeholders, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, CGIAR Centres, Advanced Agricultural Research Institutes (AARIs), National Agricultural Research and Extension Systems (NARES), government representatives, private-sector actors, and development partners.
The primary objectives of the meeting were to review and validate the Work Plan and Budget, finalise implementation arrangements, and enhance collaboration among partners to ensure the effective rollout of programme activities. Key focus areas include strengthening seed systems, building institutional and technical capacity, promoting youth engagement in agriculture, and expanding digital advisory solutions to boost productivity and climate resilience.
TAAT's Impact and Future Goals
Since its inception in 2018, TAAT has played a pivotal role in advancing Africa's agricultural transformation by scaling proven technologies. The programme has supported the production of over 4,333 metric tonnes of breeder seeds, resulting in more than 309,000 metric tonnes of certified seeds. This has significantly improved crop yields and farmer livelihoods across the continent.
TAAT has integrated 71 technology cases into 14 large-scale projects and provided technical assistance for 21 projects across 24 countries, influencing $857 million in investments. Additionally, 136 technology cases have been integrated into 18 large-scale projects across 21 countries, impacting $1.7 billion under the African Development Fund (ADF) concessional loans and grants window.
Statements from Key Officials
In his remarks at the opening and signing ceremonies, Mr Innocent Musabyimana, Chief Agricultural Technologies Officer at the African Development Bank, affirmed that TAAT remains central to delivering the Bank's Feed Africa vision. "Strong partnerships are key to scaling agricultural transformation, and this meeting is about moving from planning to accelerated action," Musabyimana stated.
Mr Matieyedou Konlambigue, Country Representative for Rwanda and representative of IITA Management, praised TAAT's commitment to transforming African food systems. He highlighted the production and dissemination of over 309,000 metric tonnes of certified seeds to millions of farmers. "TAAT has demonstrated success in strengthening seed systems across Africa, and now we need to scale with speed, promote sustainability, and align implementation and accountability commitments to delivering measurable impact for farmers," he added.
Ms Rachel Zozo, acting Coordinator of the TAAT Programme Management Unit, explained that the TAAT Phase II Addendum grant will focus on bolstering strategic investments in the six countries. "Our priorities in this phase will be to strengthen seed systems and early generation seed (EGS) production, empower youth and institutions, scale digital agriculture solutions, and enhance collaboration across public and private sectors," Zozo noted.
Implementation and Agreements
The meeting culminated in finalised implementation plans, strengthened partnerships, and a signed sub-grant agreement between the Government of the Republic of Rwanda, the African Development Bank, and the TAAT Programme, represented by IITA. This agreement aims to facilitate rapid execution of activities across all four components of TAAT II, with a strong emphasis on capacity building for key stakeholders in the six countries.
Specific initiatives under the agreement include:
- Strengthening seed systems in target countries.
- Capacity building for National Agricultural Research Systems and the private sector to produce early generation seeds.
- Technical capacity building for young professionals in National Agricultural Research Extension Institutions.
- Enhancing target countries' capacity in digital advisory solutions for extension, climate information, and input distribution.
Rwandan Government's Perspective
Dr Solange Uwituze, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Rwandan government, welcomed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). She emphasised its potential to increase productivity through Food Basket Sites and create youth employment in Rwanda. "In line with our 2050 vision for Rwanda, which enhances food security among Rwandans, we should increase agricultural productivity by 13 times from current levels. This requires us to adopt modern agronomic practices and improved technologies. That's what this MoU is going to contribute to, by providing clean seeds and increasing the capacities of local actors to practice agriculture on small lands with increased productivity," Dr Uwituze said.
Stakeholders at the event underscored that strengthening partnerships and investing in local capacity are critical to reducing Africa's vulnerability to global agricultural shocks and ensuring long-term food security. This grant and the associated initiatives mark a significant step towards sustainable agricultural development in the region.
