AfDB Approves Additional $8.9 Million Grant to Boost Climate Resilience in São Tomé and Príncipe
The African Development Bank Group’s Board of Directors has approved an additional grant of $8.9 million from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to strengthen São Tomé and Príncipe’s agricultural and fisheries sectors against the impacts of climate change.
The new funding brings the total financing for the Co-management of the Climate Extremes for Agriculture and Fisheries Resilience Project (PRIASA III) to $18.9 million, comprising a $10.05 million grant from the African Development Fund (ADF) and the latest GEF contribution through its Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and project beneficiaries will provide an additional $700,000 in-kind.
Running from February 2024 to December 2029, PRIASA III aims to enhance the resilience of the country’s agricultural and fisheries sectors to climate shocks such as droughts, floods, and water scarcity. It builds on the achievements of PRIASA I and II, which improved food security infrastructure across the island nation.
“This additional funding demonstrates the international community’s commitment to supporting small island developing states in building resilience to climate change,” said Pietro Toigo, the Bank’s Country Manager for São Tomé and Príncipe. “The country’s agricultural and fisheries sectors are vital to its food security and economic stability, making this investment crucial for sustainable development.”
The GEF grant will support the construction and rehabilitation of water storage systems, including ponds, tanks, and groundwater facilities, as well as the installation of small-scale irrigation kits, drip irrigation systems, and solar-powered pumps. These interventions are expected to improve water access for farmers and enhance agricultural productivity.
Additionally, the project will strengthen rural roads to facilitate market access, upgrade agrifood processing units, and create financial incentive mechanisms targeting women and youth entrepreneurs in agriculture.
“The adoption of a value chain development approach, implemented through SMEs using climate-smart agricultural technologies, will create jobs, increase incomes, and improve livelihoods,” said Neeraj Vij, Regional Sector Manager at the African Development Bank Group. “This aligns with the Bank’s agricultural development priorities for the next five years.”
A portion of the funding will be allocated to capacity-building programmes for government officials in the water, agriculture, and energy sectors. The project will also establish local leadership councils to ensure inclusive participation and engagement with communities.
Furthermore, a knowledge management system will be created to document and share lessons learned from pilot initiatives, enabling successful climate adaptation models to be replicated both nationally and across the region.
The African Development Bank will serve as the executing agency, while implementation will be led by São Tomé and Príncipe’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.
