Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania and Rwanda are among the priority countries set to benefit from the Partnership for Inclusive Agricultural Transformation in Africa (Piata), which will provide up to $280 million for agricultural transformation.
The multibillion agricultural funding programme is aimed at increasing incomes and improving the food security of 30 million households in 11 African countries by 2021.
Launched at the 2017 African Green Revolution Forum, the project is financed through a partnership of the Rockefeller Foundation, USAid and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Mamadou Biteye, the Managing Director of the Rockerfeller Foundation Africa Regional Office said the partnership will allow the partners to complement efforts and leverage on their networks for greater impact.
“We are looking forward to deploying the technologies that we have helped develop over the years, to gather our shared knowledge and grant support to work with our esteemed partners.
Together we hope to catalyse Africa’s pursuit for prosperity through agriculture,” Biteye said.
The launch of the project is in line with the goals laid out in the 2014 Maputo declaration to enhance investment finance and resilience in livelihoods and production systems to climate variability and other shocks.
Sean Jones, Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator at USAid said Piata offers a new way of doing business to ensure food security and economic growth.
Meanwhile Agnes Kalibata, the President of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa, hailed the partnership.
She said the corporation would contribute significantly towards accelerating Africa’s path to prosperity by growing inclusive economies and jobs through agriculture.
“Piata will be critical in bringing key players together to support governments in their push to fully unlock the potential of Africa’s smallholder farming and agribusiness,” Kalibata said.
Other beneficiaries of the strategic partnership are Ghana,Mali, Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Mozambique.
