AfDB to support Guinea-Bissau’s rice development project in West Africa

The African Development Bank Group (AfDB) will be providing financial assistance to support Guinea-Bissau’s Rice Value Chain Development Project in West Africa.

The African Development Fund (ADF), the concessional arm of the group, will provide $5.67m in funding.

The project has been designed and developed to for ensuring sustainable recovery of the rice value chain in the Bafata and Oio regions by enhancing productivity and infrastructure, ensuring flexibility to climate change, as well as managing natural agricultural resources in a sustainable manner.

AfDB said: “These activities will be accompanied by local and organisational capacity building, and specific focus will be placed on women’s access to land and all project benefits.”

The project is anticipated to improve nutritional and food security, as well as reduce poverty across the country.

It will be implemented in the region over four years, which includes modernisation and development of agricultural infrastructure with special emphasis on hydro-agricultural infrastructure and access to markets, food and nutrition security.

In keeping with the country’s strategic orientations, the project will help to improve productivity and production in the flagship sector for food security.

AfDB anticipates that nearly 1,720 farmers, of which 55% are women, would benefit from the project, which will also indirectly impact approximately 60,000 people.

The project is estimated at $6.13m and the loan from ADF will represent 93% of the total cost. The remaining 7% is expected to be provided by the government and beneficiaries.

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Image: African Development Bank Group will be providing financial assistance to Guinea-Bissau’s Rice Value Chain Development Project. Photo: courtesy of African Development Bank Group.