In an ambitious bid to uplift Africa’s agricultural sector and bolster food security, the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) have unveiled a new joint initiative. The project, named ‘Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT)’, aims to enhance agricultural productivity and reduce poverty, targeting the termination of hunger across Africa by 2025. The initiative is set in alignment with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Under the TAAT initiative, key focus areas will be the establishment of efficient seed systems, an increase in the nutritional quality of crops, and the promotion of climate-resilient agricultural practices. With these objectives driving the project, the collaboration is expected to provide significant benefits to the agriculture industry across the continent.
The AfDB, a prominent player in Africa’s development, and the CIAT, an international research body devoted to reducing poverty and improving food security in the tropics, seek to make the TAAT initiative a worldwide, collaborative effort. As part of this mandate, they hope to engage research centres, governments, and the private sector in a unified bid to reshape Africa’s agricultural outlook.
Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB, stated that “the TAAT initiative is a truly groundbreaking alliance aiming to catapult Africa’s agriculture industry into a new era of sustainable growth and development. With a focus on using modern technologies and sustainable practices, we anticipate significant improvements in crop yields and farmers’ incomes.”
The AfDB’s commitment to the initiative manifests itself as part of a broader strategy to invest $24 billion in African agriculture over the next ten years. Through this, they aim to improve food security, create jobs, and lift millions out of poverty.
Dr. Peter Carberry, Director-General of CIMMYT (a member of the CGIAR consortium with CIAT), expressed his optimism for the collaboration, stating that “this is an extraordinary opportunity for us to align our research efforts on a larger scale to tackle food and nutrition security challenges more effectively. We are excited about the prospects of collectively making a bigger difference in the lives of millions in Africa.”
As global attention increasingly focuses on food security and sustainable practices, the innovative TAAT initiative represents a significant stride towards achieving these objectives in Africa. With the AfDB and CIAT driving this initiative, the future of African agriculture indeed looks promising.
