The World Bank Group has approved the fourth phase of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), a $46 million initiative called Accelerating Innovation and Catalyzing Capacity for Resilience in Africa (AICCRA–FSRP4), to strengthen food security and boost job creation across Africa. The program, financed by the IDA, the PHRD Global South Pillar, and the Food Systems 2030 Multi-Donor Trust Fund, and implemented through the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE), will reach Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal, and Zambia, with impacts expected beyond these countries. The initiative aims to scale agricultural innovations, increase productivity, and generate economic and employment opportunities.
AICCRA–FSRP4 targets more than 1.5 million farmers and food-system actors, building on previous FSRP phases and the ongoing AICCRA program. It bridges research and practice by expanding access to climate-smart agriculture, digital climate advisory platforms, drought-tolerant rice and maize, and solar-powered irrigation. More than 250,000 farmers are expected to adopt these climate-smart technologies. Previous phases have delivered 165 innovations and climate-smart services to over 11.6 million people, creating a strong foundation for the program.
With agriculture employing 52% of Africa’s workforce, the project emphasizes skills development and entrepreneurship. It will support 150 entrepreneurial ventures, strengthen or establish 25 incubators and accelerators, and mobilize $16.5 million in private capital to stimulate agribusiness and Ag-Tech jobs. Partnerships with African universities, including University Mohamed VI Polytechnic in Morocco, and private sector engagement through challenge funds and matching grants are designed to foster market-driven innovations with high employment potential.
The program’s regional approach enhances its effectiveness by strengthening at least eight national and regional institutions, improving agricultural data systems, and supporting soil hubs for climate-informed decision-making. By collaborating with regional partners such as CORAF, AGRHYMET, ASARECA, CCARDESA, and ICPAC, AICCRA–FSRP4 facilitates cross-border innovation transfer, reduces duplication, and amplifies impact across the continent.
Earlier phases of FSRP have already reached 2.9 million beneficiaries, enabled nearly 1 million producers to adopt climate-smart technologies, extended agrometeorological services to 962,000 actors, and reduced food insecurity by 30% in targeted areas. The new phase will expand these gains further by scaling the latest agricultural innovations, introducing a stronger focus on private-sector solutions, advancing skills development, and consolidating digital strategies at the regional level, strengthening Africa’s capacity to respond to climate risks and support food and livelihood security.
