WEST AFRICA – The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) has approved US$102.79 million to promote sustainable agricultural value chains in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across Guinea, Senegal, and Togo.
This initiative focuses on integrating climate resilience and low greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions while improving agricultural productivity in these regions.
According to AfDB, the move is a critical step in addressing both climate change and food security concerns in West Africa, regions highly vulnerable to climate-related disruptions.
The project, known as the Multinational Promotion of Sustainable Agricultural Value Chains Program, supports climate-smart agricultural practices.
It includes the development of small irrigation systems covering approximately 39,179 hectares and the provision of 2.59 MW of solar energy to power water pumping systems.
Moreover, the program will install renewable energy infrastructure, generating up to 14.69 MW of power through solar and biogas technologies. The latter will include biogas digesters with a capacity of 24,576 m³ to treat livestock manure, reducing methane emissions and providing biogas for electricity production.
Agricultural practices will also improve through the adoption of climate-resilient technologies across 40,000 hectares of farmland.
Farmers will benefit from a network of agrometeorological stations and climate information services, which will provide timely data for better decision-making and early warning systems. Additionally, 40,000 hectares of agroforestry will be developed to sequester carbon, further enhancing the project’s environmental benefits.
Gender inclusivity is central to this initiative. The project is designed to directly benefit over 1.1 million farmers, with at least 50% of them being women.
Women will be provided with access to innovative small-scale irrigation systems, climate information services, and low-carbon processing technologies, empowering them to play a larger role in agricultural value chains.
Kazuhiro Numasawa, Division Manager of the SAPZ operations at AfDB, praised the program for its timeliness in addressing climate challenges while also fostering youth and women’s participation in agriculture.
The project is a major step forward in achieving sustainable development goals in West Africa, addressing both environmental sustainability and economic resilience.
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