A Track Record of Measurable Impact
The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) signed a $16.61 million grant agreement on 18 February 2026 in Abuja to launch the third phase of the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation Programme (TAAT-III). The programme, first launched in 2018, has already established itself as one of the continent's most results-driven agricultural initiatives. Over its first two phases, TAAT reached nearly 25 million farmers and expanded climate-resilient farming practices across more than 35 million hectares. Working alongside the Consultative Group of International Agricultural Research Centres (CGIAR) and national partners, the programme has increased crop yields by as much as 69 percent and generated over $4 billion in additional agricultural value across participating countries including Sudan, Ethiopia, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Nigeria.
Nigeria stands out as a particularly strong case study for TAAT's data-backed results. Under the programme's Wheat Compact, farmers who adopted improved heat-tolerant wheat varieties saw yields jump from 1.7 tons per hectare to 3.5 tons per hectare — a gain of more than 100 percent. Beyond individual crop performance, TAAT-supported seed system assessments provided the analytical foundation for national policy reforms aimed at broadening access to certified, climate-resilient seeds. These measurable outcomes across multiple countries and crop systems are what underpins the AfDB's decision to commit further funding to a third phase, moving from pilot-stage interventions to continent-wide scaling.
TAAT-III's Targets and Delivery Model
TAAT-III is designed to reach an additional 14 million farmers across 37 low-income and vulnerable countries served by the African Development Fund, the AfDB's concessional financing window. The new phase shifts toward a more sustainable, private sector-driven delivery model that aims to consolidate earlier gains while reinforcing seed and technology distribution systems. Digital infrastructure will play a larger role this time around, with expanded use of technology e-catalogues and real-time monitoring platforms to accelerate the deployment of high-impact agricultural solutions. Abdul Kamara, Director General of the AfDB's Nigeria Country Department, emphasised this shift at the signing ceremony, noting that TAAT-III is built to ensure "proven, climate-resilient agricultural technologies reach farmers faster and at scale" while aligning with the Bank's strategic priorities.
The programme also builds on its role during recent global food supply disruptions, when TAAT supported the AfDB's Africa Emergency Food Production Facility by rapidly deploying improved seeds and technologies to stabilise food supplies in affected regions. TAAT-III now seeks to embed these emergency-response innovations into long-term national agricultural investment strategies, creating durable systems rather than one-off interventions. IITA Director General Simeon Ehui framed the ambition clearly: the goal is to scale science-based solutions that make Africa's food systems "more resilient and competitive." With $4 billion in value already generated, 25 million farmers already reached, and a clear pipeline targeting 14 million more, the data case for TAAT-III is built on demonstrated returns rather than projections alone.