The African Development Bank (AfDB) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission have formalized a $12 million grant agreement to strengthen food security in West Africa through the Rice Resilient Value Chains Development Project (REWARD).
The agreement, signed at the ECOWAS Commission Headquarters in Abuja, is part of a broader $650 million AfDB-funded regional initiative aimed at achieving rice self-sufficiency across all 15 ECOWAS member states. The REWARD project seeks to increase local rice production by attracting both public and private investments while leveraging effective business models.
ECOWAS Commission President, Alieu Omar Touray, signed the deal on behalf of the organization, while AfDB’s Director General for Nigeria, Abdul Kamara, represented the bank’s President, Akinwumi Adesina. Speaking at the event, Touray emphasized ECOWAS’ commitment to fast-tracking the project, highlighting its alignment with the bloc’s 4X4 Strategy, which prioritizes regional peace, economic integration, governance, and inclusive development.
“For us, an important project such as REWARD must be implemented quickly. Food and rice production are critical to food security, which is directly linked to peace and stability,” Touray stated, acknowledging Adesina’s contributions to Africa’s development.
Kamara reaffirmed AfDB’s support for food security and agricultural value chain development in West Africa, noting that the REWARD project will address key challenges through policy reforms, improved input regulations, and enhanced digital monitoring of agricultural activities.
The initiative will be led by ECOWAS’ Economic Affairs and Agriculture Department and the ECOWAS Rice Observatory. It aligns with the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP) and the regional Rice Roadmap (2025-2035), aiming to reduce reliance on rice imports, stabilize economies, and create jobs.
With this funding, ECOWAS member states have an opportunity to transform their rice sectors and enhance resilience against future food crises while working toward greater food sovereignty.
