The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved the commencement of Phase III of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme, releasing an additional US$16 million to accelerate the deployment of climate-resilient agricultural technologies across the continent.
The approval, granted by the Bank Group’s Board of Directors on 14 January 2026, reinforces the institution’s commitment to tackling low agricultural productivity, limited access to modern technologies, weak infrastructure, and inadequate investment in climate-smart practices.
The Bank noted that the urgency of the intervention has been heightened by the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict, which continues to disrupt global supply chains and increase the cost of critical farm inputs such as seeds and fertilizers.
$3.18 Billion Investment Catalyzed Under TAAT I and II
At the signing ceremony held on 18 February 2026 between the Bank and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), the executing agency for TAAT, officials highlighted the significant milestones recorded under the first two phases of the programme.
According to the Bank, TAAT I and II influenced a total of US$3.18 billion in agricultural investments — including US$857.5 million through the African Emergency Food Production Facility (AEFPF) and US$2.31 billion through non-AEFPF projects.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Bank’s Director for Nigeria, Dr. Abdul Kamara, said:
“TAAT III reflects the Bank’s commitment to ensuring that proven, climate-resilient technologies reach farmers faster and at scale. This new phase strengthens the systems that deliver innovation, helping countries boost productivity, enhance resilience, and align agricultural transformation efforts with the Bank’s Four Cardinal Points.”
Dr. Martin Fregene, Officer in Charge of the Bank’s Vice Presidency for Agriculture, Human and Social Development, stated that the earlier phases laid the foundation for transformative change by vetting and scaling proven technologies, promoting climate-resilient practices, strengthening seed ecosystems, and developing digital platforms for smallholder farmers.
“Through technical assistance and collaboration with Regional Member Countries and development partners, TAAT has integrated 238 technology use cases into 46 investment projects spanning 31 countries,” Fregene said.
Dr. Kamara further emphasized that the additional funding would consolidate past gains.
“The Bank is well positioned to harness the power of science, knowledge, and innovation needed to catalyze Africa’s agricultural transformation. This additional funding will help us consolidate the achievements of TAAT I and II,” he added.
Productivity Gains Reach Over 25 Million Farmers
The Director General of IITA and CGIAR’s Regional Director for Continental Africa, Dr. Simeon Ehui, commended the Bank’s Feed Africa strategy and reaffirmed IITA’s commitment to delivering results under the new phase.
“These efforts have led to productivity increases of up to 69% across targeted crops, reaching over 25 million farmers,” Ehui disclosed.
He further revealed that under the AEFPF framework, 476,747.96 metric tons of improved, climate-resilient seeds were distributed to 14.437 million smallholder farmers, supported by technical assistance on seed quality assurance and specifications.
“This third phase will institutionalize the TAAT model within CGIAR, foster regional cooperation, and contribute directly to the Sustainable Development Goals — No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Climate Action, and Life on Land — as well as the African Union’s Agenda 2063,” Ehui said.
Digitalization, Regional Markets, and Seed System Strengthening
The Bank stated that TAAT III aims to consolidate and scale the achievements of the first two phases while strengthening operational and financial sustainability. Some of the priorities mentioned under the third phase are; Strengthening National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and private seed companies, increasing production of early-generation and certified high-yielding, climate-resilient seeds, promoting digitalization of vetted technologies and ICT platforms, developing a regional technology market to ease cross-border access to innovations, supporting Training of Trainers (ToT) programmes for extension workers, and attracting private-sector investment into national agricultural projects
The programme will also enhance climate resilience by strengthening meteorological institutions and extension services to improve weather forecasting and early warning systems for smallholder farmers.
With the signing of the Phase III grant agreement, the African Development Bank envisions accelerated agricultural transformation across Africa, driven by stronger regional technology delivery systems, increased productivity, digital innovation, enhanced seed distribution, and deeper private-sector participation.
About the African Development Bank Group
The African Development Bank Group is Africa’s premier development finance institution. It comprises the African Development Bank (AfDB), the African Development Fund (ADF), and the Nigeria Trust Fund (NTF), operating in 44 African countries with an external office in Japan.
About IITA
Founded in 1967 and headquartered in Ibadan, Nigeria, the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture is a non-profit research-for-development organization and a member of CGIAR. It works across Africa to improve food security, increase agricultural productivity, and enhance natural resource resilience.
About TAAT
Launched in 2018 under the Bank’s Feed Africa strategy, TAAT is a continent-wide initiative implemented by IITA and CGIAR centers to rapidly deliver proven agricultural technologies to farmers. The programme aims to double crop, livestock, and fish productivity for more than 40 million smallholder farmers and generate an additional 120 million metric tons of food across Africa.
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