The African Development Bank Group and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture have signed a $16.61 million grant agreement to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Program (TAAT-III). Signed on 18 February 2026 in Abuja, the agreement aims to scale climate-resilient food production across Africa by promoting proven agricultural technologies, strengthening seed systems, and expanding collaboration among research institutions, governments, and private sector actors.
Since its launch in 2018, the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program has become one of the continent’s most impactful agricultural innovation platforms. It has reached nearly 25 million farmers and expanded climate-resilient practices across more than 35 million hectares, significantly increasing productivity in key staple crops. Working with the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centers and other national and regional partners, TAAT has helped boost crop yields by up to 69 percent and generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value. Countries such as Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria have recorded notable improvements in productivity and resilience to climate shocks.
Nigeria has been a major beneficiary of the initiative. Through its Wheat Compact, farmers adopting improved heat-tolerant wheat varieties more than doubled their yields from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons per hectare. Seed system assessments supported by the program also contributed to national reforms aimed at increasing access to certified, climate-resilient seeds.
According to Abdul Kamara, Director General of the Bank Group’s Nigeria Country Department, the third phase will accelerate the scaling of innovation, ensuring that proven technologies reach farmers more quickly and at greater scale. He emphasized that TAAT-III aligns with the Bank’s broader strategic priorities, known as the Four Cardinal Points, while strengthening systems that deliver agricultural innovation and resilience.
Financed through the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional lending window, TAAT-III will build on earlier achievements while introducing a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model. The new phase aims to reinforce seed and technology distribution systems, deepen partnerships with governments and agribusinesses, and expand digital tools such as technology e-catalogues and real-time monitoring platforms to accelerate the deployment of high-impact solutions. Simeon Ehui, Director General of IITA, noted that the program will deepen the delivery of science-based solutions to improve farmers’ productivity, livelihoods, and competitiveness.
TAAT also played a key role in supporting the Africa Emergency Food Production Facility by enabling rapid deployment of improved seeds and technologies during recent global food supply disruptions. The third phase seeks to integrate these innovations into long-term national agricultural investment strategies, ensuring sustainable transformation.
TAAT-III is expected to benefit an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund, further advancing efforts to modernize agriculture and strengthen food security across the continent.
