By Busola Bamidele
The African Development Bank (AfDB) is investing $3 billion in Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) across 11+ African countries to drive agricultural transformation.
AfDB President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, in an interview with Arise TV, emphasized Africa’s potential in global food production, stating, “Africa holds 65% of the world’s uncultivated arable land, making it key to feeding 9.5 billion people by 2050.”
The SAPZ initiative aims to create economic hubs near farming communities, equipped with essential infrastructure such as power, water, roads, and irrigation.
This is part of the AfDB’s broader $25 billion strategy to industrialize agriculture, enhance food security, and boost economies.
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Nigeria stands as a major beneficiary, initially targeting $750 million but securing $2.2 billion through partnerships with the Islamic Development Bank and IFAD.
Ethiopia also exemplifies the success of AfDB’s agricultural interventions, achieving wheat self-sufficiency through the Technologies for African Agricultural Drives (TAAT) program.
With this investment, AfDB is set to reshape Africa’s agricultural landscape, fostering economic growth and food security.
