The African Development Bank (AfDB) has approved $102.79 million in financing to strengthen sustainable agricultural value chains in Guinea, Senegal, and Togo. This financing primarily aims to develop Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ), designed to be climate-resilient and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
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The program includes key projects such as the Agro-Industrial Transformation Project in Togo, Senegal Agropole-Sud, and the Agro-Industrial Zones Development Program in Guinea. These initiatives focus on improving agricultural infrastructure by installing irrigation systems for 39,179 hectares and producing renewable energy, such as 10.24 MW generated from biogas.
Additionally, the project seeks to promote climate-resilient agricultural practices across 40,000 hectares, benefiting small farmers and local cooperatives. A network of agrometeorological stations will be implemented to enhance early warning systems and climate information services, which are critical to addressing the impacts of climate change.
The program also has a strong focus on women’s empowerment, ensuring that at least 50% of the 1.1 million farmers benefiting are women. They will gain access to efficient irrigation technology, processing tools, and climate information services, improving their participation in agricultural production.
Kazuhiro Numasawa, from the AfDB, emphasized that this intervention comes at a crucial time to support rural communities in their fight against the effects of climate change, while fostering collaboration with the private sector to ensure the project’s success.