The African Development Bank (AfDB) is committing over $3 billion to establish Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across more than 11 African countries. This initiative aims to boost food production, improve value addition, and create economic opportunities for rural communities.
AfDB President, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, highlights Africa’s crucial role in global food security, emphasizing the continent’s potential in feeding a growing world population.
“Africa has 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, making it central to global food supply. The continent will play a key role in feeding 9.5 billion people by 2050,” Adesina states.
Transforming Agriculture with Strategic Investments
As part of efforts to industrialize agriculture, the AfDB is implementing a $25 billion initiative to expand food production and strengthen agricultural value chains. Ethiopia serves as a success story, where the bank’s Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) program has significantly boosted wheat production.
“In 2008, we introduced drought-resistant wheat varieties in Ethiopia. Within four years, the country achieved self-sufficiency and is now exporting wheat,” Adesina explains.
The SAPZ initiative focuses on creating economic hubs close to farming communities, equipped with essential infrastructure such as electricity, water, roads, and irrigation systems.
“We are developing Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones near farms, providing infrastructure like power, water, roads, and irrigation to accelerate agro-industrialization,” he adds.
Nigeria’s Agricultural Sector Gains Multi-Billion Dollar Boost
Nigeria is one of the major beneficiaries of the SAPZ initiative. Initially, the AfDB, alongside the Islamic Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), planned to raise $750 million for Nigeria’s agricultural sector. However, the effort surpassed expectations, securing a total of $2.2 billion in funding.
“In Nigeria, we worked with key partners to launch a large-scale agricultural program. What started as a $750 million goal resulted in $2.2 billion in investments,” Adesina reveals.
Through these investments, the AfDB seeks to revolutionize agriculture, strengthen food security, and position Africa as a global leader in agricultural production.
 is committing over $3 billion to establish Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across more than 11 African countries. This initiative aims to boost food production, improve value addition, and create economic opportunities for rural communities.){kind=link}