How Africa’s Agricultural Revolution Is Powering the Continent’s Development

Through Agricultural Hubs, the Emergency Food Aid Programme, and the Dakar 2 Commitments, the Bank is driving inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth across Africa.

Africa’s transformation is underway, and nowhere is this more visible than in the continent’s agricultural sector. Under the theme “Making Africa’s Capital Work Better for Africa’s Development”—which headlines the African Development Bank Group’s 2025 Annual Meetings—three flagship initiatives are demonstrating how targeted investments in agriculture are helping to unlock the continent’s vast potential. Through Agricultural Hubs, the Emergency Food Aid Programme, and the Dakar 2 Commitments, the Bank is driving inclusive, sustainable, and resilient growth across Africa.

These initiatives are not merely policy statements—they represent real, on-the-ground changes that are helping smallholder farmers, strengthening value chains, and transforming rural economies. They showcase what is possible when natural, human, and financial capital is mobilized strategically and at scale.

Agricultural Hubs: Turning Rural Communities into Agro-Economic Powerhouses

Agriculture has long been the backbone of many African economies, but until recently, consolidation and commercialization of agricultural products remained mostly informal and inefficient. The Agricultural Hubs initiative is changing this dynamic.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the 2PAI-Bélier project in the central region of Tiébissou has constructed two agricultural consolidation centers that now serve as commercial service platforms for producers, buyers, and consumers. These hubs are offering smallholder farmers new pathways to market, reducing post-harvest losses, and improving incomes.

“Collecting and consolidating our agricultural products has been an informal process for many years. Now, thanks to the 2PAI-Bélier project, our parents are in a better position to produce, transport, and market their crops,” explains Roland Koffi N’Goran, spokesperson for a local cooperative.

The success in Côte d’Ivoire is inspiring similar developments in Guinea, Mali, Madagascar, Senegal, Togo, and Ethiopia. In Nigeria, which hosts the largest agricultural hub programme, the first phase spans seven states and targets high-value crops like cocoa, rice, cassava, and tomatoes.

To amplify these gains, the African Development Bank has also spearheaded the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) initiative. With $1.1 billion in investments and co-financing from development partners such as the Islamic Development Bank, IFAD, Afreximbank, the European Union, and EXIM Bank Korea, the SAPZs aim to reduce logistical costs, enhance productivity, and create robust value chains.

So far, 27 zones have been launched across 13 African countries. According to Bank President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, “These special zones will transform Africa into an industrial powerhouse for food and agriculture. They will help release Africa’s full agricultural potential and support regional and international trade.”

Emergency Food Production Facility: A Lifeline During Crisis

When the war between Russia and Ukraine threatened global food supply chains in early 2022, Africa faced the risk of a deepening food crisis. In response, the African Development Bank rapidly deployed the African Emergency Food Production Facility, committing $1.5 billion to support millions of smallholder farmers.

Through the distribution of certified seeds, quality fertilizers, and targeted training, the facility reached farmers in 33 African countries. The results have been dramatic.

In Burundi, the Tsindinzara (“Beat Hunger”) cooperative led by Marie-Thérèse Nahabaganwa received six tonnes of hybrid maize and critical technical support. The cooperative produced 800 tonnes of maize in the 2023–2024 season—an average of four tonnes per hectare.

“This remarkable outcome is the result of the combined efforts of local authorities and support from the African Development Bank’s initiatives,” said Nahabaganwa.

From Senegal to Djibouti, similar stories are unfolding. Small farmers are significantly increasing yields and food security has improved in regions that were previously vulnerable to supply shocks.

National Compacts and the Dakar 2 Commitments: Financing a Food-Secure Future

Recognizing that productivity gains must be matched by strong institutional backing, the African Development Bank launched the Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme in 2018. TAAT promotes the use of high-impact agricultural technologies, improves climate resilience, and engages the private sector in value chain development.

Building on TAAT’s momentum, the Dakar 2 “Feed Africa” Summit, held in January 2023, brought together 34 Heads of State and Government who signed the Dakar Declaration on Food Sovereignty and Resilience. This bold commitment called for African governments to allocate at least 10% of national public expenditure to agriculture, in line with the Malabo Declaration.

These Country Food and Agriculture Delivery Compacts represent a shift from donor dependency to country-led agricultural investment and accountability. The compacts foster greater coordination among ministries, private investors, and development partners to create integrated, sustainable food systems.

A Blueprint for Structural Transformation

Together, the Agricultural Hubs, the Emergency Food Production Facility, and the Dakar 2 Compacts reflect a paradigm shift in how Africa is approaching agriculture. These initiatives are increasing efficiency, productivity, and resilience—laying the groundwork for a structurally transformed agricultural economy.

By investing in agro-industrial zones, supporting farmers with modern inputs, and securing government commitments, the African Development Bank is enabling African countries to create their own pathways to prosperity.

And it doesn’t stop here. The Bank’s Ten-Year Strategy for 2024–2033 will further entrench these efforts, with agriculture at the heart of its inclusive growth agenda.

With strategic vision, robust financing, and local ownership, Africa is not just feeding itself—it is building a food-secure, prosperous, and globally competitive future.