APA-Abidjan-(Cote d’Ivoire)

Thirteen West African countries are set to benefit from a $9.44 million grant aimed at reducing vulnerability and strengthening the resilience of rice value chains in the face of climate change.

Approved on July 17, 2025, by the Board of Directors of the African Development Fund—the concessional financing arm of the African Development Bank (AfDB)—the grant will support a high-impact project to be implemented by AfricaRice, the Africa Rice Center.

According to a statement received Friday by APA, the initiative is financed through the Fund’s Climate Action Window.

The countries involved include Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Niger, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo.

The AfDB says the project seeks to “reduce the vulnerability and enhance the resilience of rice value chains—from production to processing and marketing—while lowering greenhouse gas emissions,” primarily through the adoption of climate-smart technologies.

On the production side, the project will distribute climate-resilient seed varieties to 11,000 rice farmers, including 4,950 women and 6,600 young people. It also aims to strengthen local seed systems and train 12,600 farmers and processors, while improving access to climate services and early warning systems.

In terms of processing, 65 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) will receive support in the form of adapted equipment. The project will promote innovative, climate-resilient rice processing technologies and foster partnerships between SMEs and local communities to drive the adoption of these innovations.

The initiative, named REWARD–Adaptation, constitutes the climate adaptation component of the broader REWARD Project—an effort to develop resilient regional rice value chains in West Africa. It includes substantial investment in climate services, such as the installation of four automated weather stations per country, expansion of agro-meteorological networks, and real-time dissemination of weather information via a digital platform and radio broadcasts, expected to reach up to two million beneficiaries.

According to the project’s implementation plan, 47,000 job opportunities will be created—8,000 permanent and 39,000 seasonal positions. “The objective is also to improve the effectiveness of early warning systems and access to climate data so rice farmers and processors can better anticipate climate-related risks,” said Marwan Ladki, AfDB Senior Irrigation Engineer and project lead.

The REWARD–Adaptation project is part of a broader regional strategy to strengthen food systems at a time when rice remains one of the most climate-sensitive staples in West Africa. By supporting sustainable value chains, the initiative seeks to combine resilience, productivity, and inclusiveness in the agricultural sector.

Published Date: July 21, 2025