The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional arm of the African Development Bank Group, has approved a $9.44 million grant for the Africa Rice Center (AfricaRice) to enhance the climate resilience of rice value chains across 13 West African countries. The funding, approved on 17 July 2025, comes through the ADF’s Climate Action Window and aims to support sustainable rice production and processing in Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
This grant supports the REWARD-Adaptation initiative, a component of the broader Regional Resilient Rice Value Chains Development Project in West Africa (REWARD). The project focuses on scaling up climate-smart agricultural practices and technologies across the rice sector. Activities include the distribution of climate-resilient rice seeds to 11,000 farmers, including significant participation from women (4,950) and youth (6,600), along with training programs for 12,600 farmers and processors.
In addition, the project will assist 65 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with equipment upgrades and improved access to market and business networks. It will also strengthen climate services and early warning systems, using digital platforms and radio broadcasts to reach up to 2 million people. To enhance regional climate monitoring, four automatic weather stations will be installed in each of the participating countries.
Overall, the initiative is expected to create 47,000 jobs, comprising 8,000 permanent positions and 39,000 seasonal employment opportunities, contributing to greater food security, resilience, and economic empowerment across the West African rice value chain.
