World Bank Approves $46m Facility to Boost Food Security and Jobs in Africa
The World Bank Group has approved a $46 million financing package under the fourth phase of the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), aimed at strengthening food security systems and accelerating job creation across Africa.
The initiative – Accelerating Innovation and Catalyzing Capacity for Resilience in Africa (AICCRA–FSRP4) – is financed by the International Development Association (IDA), the Policy and Human Resources Development (PHRD) Fund – Global South Pillar, and the Food Systems 2030 Multi-Donor Trust Fund. The grant has been awarded to the International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE) for implementation.
The programme will support agricultural transformation efforts across Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, Senegal and Zambia, with anticipated spillover benefits to other countries on the continent.
Under the project, more than 1.5 million farmers and food system actors are expected to benefit through improved access to climate-smart agriculture and climate information services. At least 250,000 farmers are projected to adopt climate-smart technologies, including drought-resistant crop varieties, digital climate advisory platforms and solar-powered irrigation systems.
The AICCRA–FSRP4 builds on gains made under earlier phases of the FSRP and the ongoing AICCRA programme, which have collectively promoted 165 agricultural innovations and delivered climate-smart services to over 11.6 million people.
With agriculture accounting for about 52 percent of Africa’s workforce, the programme places significant emphasis on job creation through skills development and agribusiness entrepreneurship.
To this end, the initiative will support 150 agribusiness ventures, strengthen or establish 25 incubators and accelerators, and mobilise an estimated $16.5 million in private capital to expand employment opportunities within the agri-food and AgTech value chains.
Speaking on the initiative, World Bank Regional Director for Planet, Chakib Jenane, noted that job creation remains central to the programme’s design.
“Job creation is a core pillar of this new initiative, designed to benefit a wide ecosystem of actors and to deepen our commitment of helping African countries build stronger, climate-smart food systems,” he stated.
He added that scaling proven agricultural innovations and strengthening institutional capacity will enhance productivity and resilience, particularly among women and young farmers.
The programme will also reinforce regional collaboration by strengthening at least eight national and regional institutions, alongside improving agricultural data systems and soil information hubs to support climate-informed decision-making.
World Bank Acting Director for Regional Programmes, Marina Wes, underscored the importance of cross-border coordination in addressing agricultural challenges.
“Climate risks, pests, data systems, and markets do not stop at borders,” she said, noting that partnerships with regional bodies will help accelerate innovation transfer, reduce duplication and maximise development impact.
To date, the broader FSRP has reached approximately 2.9 million beneficiaries, supported nearly one million farmers to adopt climate-smart technologies, and contributed to a 30 percent reduction in food insecurity across targeted areas.
The fourth phase is expected to consolidate these gains by scaling high-impact innovations, deepening private sector participation, and enhancing digital agriculture systems to improve resilience and livelihoods across the continent.
