The African Development Bank (AfDB) has reaffirmed its commitment to transforming agriculture in Africa with a $3 billion investment in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across more than 11 countries.
AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina disclosed this during an interview with Arise Television, emphasizing the bank’s strategy to drive agricultural industrialization and enhance food security.
Adesina highlighted Africa’s crucial role in global food production, noting that the continent holds 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, positioning it as a key player in feeding the global population by 2050.
The bank’s High 5s initiative—focused on lighting up Africa, feeding Africa, industrializing Africa, integrating Africa, and improving the quality of life—aims to revolutionize agriculture through a $25 billion investment. Ethiopia was cited as a success story, where the AfDB’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program helped the country achieve wheat self-sufficiency and transition to becoming a wheat exporter.
The SAPZ initiative is designed to establish economic hubs near farming communities, equipped with essential infrastructure such as power, water, roads, and irrigation systems.
Nigeria is one of the primary beneficiaries of this initiative. Adesina revealed that the AfDB, alongside the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), initially sought to raise $750 million for Nigeria but successfully secured $2.2 billion to support the country’s agricultural sector.
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