Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation

Leading research and development partners and experts, including representatives from various CGIAR centers, met at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), Ibadan, Nigeria, 12-14 April, to discuss Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program. TAAT is an African Development Bank (AfDB) initiative for transforming agriculture on the continent that would ensure that Africa is able to feed itself through agriculture.

“Africa can become a global powerhouse of food and agriculture. However, for this, the perspective on agriculture should change,’ said Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, President of AfDB. It should be seen as a business. Only then can agriculture become a strong economic and fiscal stabilization factor in African economies.

Modernized, commercial agriculture is seen as the key to transforming Africa and the livelihoods of its people, particularly the rural poor. The TAAT Program aims to eliminate extreme poverty, end hunger and malnutrition, achieve food sufficiency, and turn Africa into a net food exporter as well as set Africa in step with global commodity and agricultural value chains. To carry out these objectives, eight priority agricultural value chains have been identified related to rice sufficiency, cassava intensification, Sahelian food security, savannas as breadbaskets, restoring tree plantations, expanding horticulture, increasing wheat production, and expanded fish farming.

This Identification and Preparation Workshop was a response to the Action Plan resulting from the Dakar High Level Conference. A plan to achieve rapid agricultural transformation across Africa through raising agricultural productivity was discussed.