AfDB Backing Nigeria’s Rice, Maize, Wheat Farming with $134m – Akinwumi Adesina

The African Development Bank (AfDB) has announced its commitment to supporting Nigeria’s agricultural sector with a significant investment of $134 million aimed at enhancing food production.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB, made this disclosure during his visit to the Centre for Dryland Agriculture (CDA) at Bayero University, Kano.

Adesina revealed that the AfDB’s funding will target the cultivation of key crops such as rice, maize, cassava, and soybeans, with the objective of boosting agricultural productivity across the country. The initiative aims to cultivate 300,000 hectares of rice and maize, 150,000 hectares of cassava, and 50,000 hectares of soybeans during the upcoming 2024 planting season.

“In March, the AfDB is supporting Nigeria to cultivate 118,000 hectares of heat-tolerant varieties of wheat and another 150,000 hectares of maize,” Adesina stated, underlining the bank’s commitment to addressing the challenges posed by climate change on agricultural practices.

Highlighting the importance of adapting to climate change and adopting sustainable agricultural practices, Adesina emphasized the need to provide timely and relevant information to farmers to enhance their resilience and productivity.

In addition to financial support, the AfDB will provide grants to the CDA and collaborate with the institution to establish it as a center for weather prediction and agricultural information gathering, empowering farmers with crucial insights for better planning and decision-making.

“We will work with the centre to become one of the centres of excellence in technology,” Adesina affirmed. “We will also support youths to develop their business ideas into reality with our $20,000 grant on Agri Pitch’ and Agri Hacking’.”

Commending Bayero University and the CDA for their efforts in assisting farmers and promoting technological innovation in agriculture, Adesina underscored the importance of such initiatives in building resilience and sustainable practices in the face of climate change.

In response, Jibrin Mohammed-Jibrin, Director of CDA, reiterated the center’s commitment to advancing research and training in dryland agriculture, emphasizing its role in improving livelihoods and natural resource management in the region.