BIDC, GGGI sign US$600,000 deal to support climate-smart farming in West Africa

WEST AFRICA – The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development has signed a US$600,000 financing agreement with the Global Green Growth Institute to support climate-smart agriculture across West Africa.

The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development, also known as BIDC, signed the deal through its Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food with the Global Green Growth Institute, or GGGI. The signing took place on December 11, 2025, at the bank’s headquarters in Lomé, Togo.

The US$600,000 seed fund will support the West Africa Climate-Smart Agriculture Initiative, known as WAICSA. The partners aim to expand technical support, attract more funding, and help financial institutions, small and medium-sized firms, and farm businesses cope with climate stress.

The fund will focus on building skills, improving access to finance, and helping value chain actors manage climate risks. The project also targets stronger links between investors and agriculture businesses across ECOWAS.

Leaders stress food security focus

Speaking during the ceremony, BIDC President and Chair of the Board Dr. George Agyekum Donkor said climate-smart farming sits at the center of the bank’s work in the region.

“Climate-smart agriculture remains central to our mission to support sustainable and inclusive development across West Africa,” Donkor said. “Through WAICSA, we seek to strengthen food security, support green investment, and open economic space for small farmers and agribusinesses.”

He added that the initiative operates under the bank’s climate change response area and plays a key role in regional food systems.

The GGGI delegation, led by Africa Regional Director Katerina Syngellakis, praised the bank’s role in regional climate action.

“BIDC continues to show strong leadership in advancing climate action across the sub-region,” Syngellakis said. “GGGI remains committed to supporting green investment that responds to local needs.”

The agreement reflects a wider push by regional and global partners to back climate-smart agriculture in West Africa. Recent months have seen growing support for projects that link food production, climate response, and private capital across the region.

Through WAICSA, BIDC and GGGI plan to strengthen project preparation, engage investors, and connect West African actors to global support networks. The partners say this approach will help farmers and food businesses adjust to climate change while supporting long-term growth.

Both institutions reaffirmed their shared goal of supporting agriculture as a base for food security and economic stability across ECOWAS, with climate-smart practices playing a key role in that effort.

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