The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors today approved a $5.39 million grant to the Central African Republic.
The grant will help produce 32,000 more tonnes of food and improve the food security of 100,000 people.
The Central African Republic will also benefit from the implementation of an emergency food program to combat the rise in food prices made worse by the conflict in the Ukraine and Russia.
The grant will aid in boosting the Central African Republic’s agricultural output, particularly that of rice, maize, and cassava.
With an anticipated production of 32,350 tonnes in the first season from September 2022 to February 2023, the project will have a positive impact on the food security of close to 100,000 people.
The quality of life for small farmers in the target group will improve along with household resilience and incomes ($840 on average per farmer and per household).
For the benefit of farmers, the grant will pay for the purchase of 1.8 tonnes of maize seed, 1.2 tonnes of rice seed, and 75,000 linear meters of cassava.
Pre-basic seed (seed created by agricultural research facilities) and basic seed will be included.
Additionally, 130 tonnes of maize seed, enough to plant 4500 hectares, 30 tonnes of paddy rice seed, enough to plant 700 hectares, and 5 million linear meters of cassava, enough to plant 1800 hectares, will be purchased by the project from local seed producers.
Additionally, the program will purchase 750 tonnes of fertilizer through a tendering process, made up of 250 tonnes of urea and 500 tonnes of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium), to cover the fertilized 5200 hectares.
A portion of the grant will be used to train employees at three national institutions engaged in the agricultural sector so that producers can master growing techniques.
For this purpose, a vehicle, office supplies, and equipment will be made available.
“The Covid-19 pandemic, as well as the political and security situation in the Central African Republic, have all been made worse by the conflict in Ukraine.
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors approved a grant today in response to the urgent needs of numerous vulnerable rural households “said Mamady Souaré, the Central African Republic country manager for the Bank Group.
He continued, “The grant will give farmers seed and fertilizers to increase food production and, consequently, improve food security in the Central African Republic.
On 20 May 2022 the Board of Directors of the African Development Bank Group set up a $1.5-billion African Emergency Food Production Facility.
The facility will provide agricultural seeds to 20 million African farmers to boost wheat, maize, rice and soya and the goal is to produce an additional 38 million tonnes of food and to generate $12 billion over the next two years.
The grant to the CAR is from Pillar I of the Transition Support Facility of the African Development Bank Group, which offers a fast, simple and flexible disbursement system, designed to help countries build peace, construct resilient institutions, stabilize their economies and lay the foundations for inclusive growth.
The project will be implemented in five regions of the country: Region No.1 (Ombella Mpoko and Lobaye), Region No.2 (Nana Mambéré and Mambéré Kadéi), Region No.3 (Ouham and Ouham Pendé), Region No.4 (Ouaka, Kémo and Nana Gribizi), Region No.7 (Bangui and its surrounding area) (Bangui and its surrounding area).