UK Government Partners with AGRA to Achieve an African Green Revolution

The United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) has contributed £7 million (US$15 million) over a period of three years to the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA).

“AGRA is expected to play a dynamic role in putting technology in the hands of farmers.  The UK is pleased to be the first bilateral donor to AGRA, and we commend it to you,” said Douglas Alexander, the United Kingdom’s Secretary of State for International Development.  DFID is a strong supporter of agricultural development in Africa, and endorses the goal of doubling agricultural production in Africa.

The funding will be used to support AGRA’s efforts to train African crop scientists, develop and distribute improved varieties of staple crops, and finance innovative partnerships that AGRA has with African governments, farmer organizations, and private institutions.

“We would like to thank DFID for this funding and its strong commitment to development. DFID’s contribution will substantially increase our ability to bring forth an African Green Revolution to end the widespread poverty and hunger across our continent,” said Dr. Namanga Ngongi, AGRA’s president.

DFID has also contributed £10 million (US$20 million) to the African Enterprise Challenge Fund (AECF), set up as a special partnership with AGRA.  The AECF is a US$50 million fund that will award grants or non-recourse loans to private sector entities on a competitive basis for projects in agri-business and financial sectors in rural areas.  The projects must be innovative and have a positive impact on the rural poor in Africa, such as increased employment, reduced costs or improved productivity.

Based in Nairobi, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana, AGRA aims to help millions of small-scale African farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger.  AGRA programs develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment.

For more information about DFID, please visit: www.dfid.gov.uk; for more information about the AECF, please visit: www.aecfafrica.org.

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About the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
AGRA is a dynamic partnership working across the African continent to help millions of small-scale farmers and their families lift themselves out of poverty and hunger. AGRA programmes develop practical solutions to significantly boost farm productivity and incomes for the poor while safeguarding the environment. AGRA advocates for policies that support its work across all key aspects of the African agricultural value chain ­from seeds, soil health and water to markets and agricultural education.

AGRA's Board of Directors is chaired by Kofi A Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations. Dr Namanga Ngongi, former Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme, is AGRA's president. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK's Department for International Development and other donors, AGRA works across sub-Saharan Africa and maintains offices in Nairobi, Kenya, and Accra, Ghana.