The World Bank has pledged $45 billion to combat the ongoing food crisis, with a focus on Africa.
This commitment surpasses the initial $30 billion promised over 15 months, aiming to address food insecurity through new lending and existing portfolio funds.
The expanded food and nutrition security portfolio now covers 90 countries, emphasizing both short-term interventions, such as social protection expansion, and long-term resilience measures, including climate-smart agriculture and productivity enhancement. In Africa, the interventions are expected to benefit millions, especially women, who are disproportionately affected by the crisis.
One key initiative is the $2.75 billion Food Systems Resilience Program for Eastern and Southern Africa, which is now in its third phase. This program focuses on enhancing food crisis response, boosting agricultural production resilience, and promoting sustainable natural resource development.
In West Africa, the $766 million West Africa Food Systems Resilience Program aims to increase food security preparedness and resilience. It includes digital advisory services for agriculture, capacity building for agriculture system actors, and investment in regional food market integration.
Additional projects include a $95 million credit for Malawi to commercialize agriculture value chains and a $200 million grant for Madagascar to strengthen service delivery and protect landscapes.
The $175 million Sahel Irrigation Initiative supports irrigation projects benefiting over 130,000 farmers and pastoral communities across several Sahel countries.
