United States Commits $9.5m to Drive Food Production in Africa

Gilbert Ekugbe

The United States of America has committed a new grant of $9.5 million to support the Africa Development Bank’s (AfDB’s) Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) initiative (TAAT).

According to a statement obtained from AfDB’s website, the grant is a part of the larger US Government’s “Feed the Future” global hunger initiative that would be used for the second phase of the bank’s programme called TAAT II, to help African countries increase food production, introduce climate-smart technologies and expand extension services.

Commending the US’s government for its support to the bank’s key agricultural initiatives, AfDB’s President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, said during a visit by the United State Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken, in Abidjan at a pan-African centre of excellence for rice research, development, and capacity building that implements Bank agricultural programmes.

Adesina said: “I applaud the work President Biden is doing for global food security. I am delighted with the partnership we have with the US Government to help us move forward on food security in Africa.”

He added that to date, TAAT has deployed climate-resilient agricultural technologies and fertilizers to 13 million African farmers in 40 African countries to help boost the continent’s food production and food security.

Responding, the United States Secretary of State, Mr. Antony Blinken, praised the AfDB for the exceptional efforts it is undertaking to help Africa feed itself and the rest of the world.

Blinken said: “Extraordinary work is being done to get to a place where Africa feeds itself and a place where Africa feeds the world. I’m convinced that can happen.”  

TAAT aims to double the productivity of staple crops, livestock, and fisheries, by making proven technologies available to more than 40 million agricultural producers by 2025. This will produce an additional 120 million tons of food.