New ECOWAS-AfDB Initiative Aims to Strengthen West Africa’s Rice Industry
The AfDB and ECOWAS have inked a $12 million agreement to launch the Rice Resilient Value Chains Development Project (REWARD), aimed at enhancing food security in West Africa. Signed in Abuja, Nigeria, the initiative is part of a broader $650 million rice development program, backed by the AfDB, covering all 15 ECOWAS member states. The project seeks to reduce rice imports, strengthen local production, and implement policy reforms and digital monitoring systems. ECOWAS President Dr. Alieu Omar Touray emphasized the deal’s alignment with the bloc’s 4X4 Strategy, while AfDB’s Dr. Abdul Kamara reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to agricultural development in West Africa. The initiative aims to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production, create jobs, and stabilize regional economies.
Source: Nairametrics
