Strategy for agricultural transformation in africa

Agricultural Finance
: Given the specific requirements for the agricultural 
sector in terms of product design and technical knowledge these features as 
well as the scale of Bank investments to financial intermediaries and private 
sector investors of >US$1bn per annum, the Bank will develop skills and 
sufficient manpower to administer investment activities in this area.
• 
ICT and Technology
: the potential for reducing high costs associated with 
reaching farmers with financial products, delivering market information across 
value chains and driving modernization of agricultural logistics and trading is 
substantial and realizing these gains are critical to successfully executing 
several areas in the Agricultural Transformation Agenda; the Bank will 
develop in-house skills to effectively lead and coordinate large scale 
deployment of agriculture and agribusiness ICT.
• 
Applied Agricultural Research
: The Bank will not undertake R&D activities 
directly, but will require that investments to ensure applied R&D investments 
are directed in line with the strategy; the Bank will also work closely with the 
CGIAR to ensure that agricultural R&D is applied to Bank lending activities 
to ensure that appropriate technologies and agricultural processes are 
incorporated into program design; appropriate expertise will be required to 
allow the Bank to work as the effective interface between R&D and its 
application across its investment activities and stakeholders.
• 
Rural Development
: a process to make rural areas livable and attractive where 
business-minded agro-entrepreneurs and their families may decide to live. This 
would require developing a broad range of education, health, water and 
sanitation, transport and energy related services.
• 
Policy Analysis and Development: 
the development of effective policy and 
advocacy with governments will be a critical capability for success; the Bank 
will further develop its existing skillset in policy analysis to ensure that it can 
advise RMCs, RECs and other bodies on key levers within the overall policy 
matrix (including input policies, business enabling environment and land 
tenure) that are critical to driving transformation.
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 A more detailed assessment of the skills and capabilities to be developed, including a suggested structure 
for the Bank’s Feed Africa Department, responsibilities across teams, and additional assets that the Bank 
will develop (including a convening ‘Agricultural Transformation Partnership for Africa’) and potential 
organization to manage specific Special Funds and Investment Funds, is provided in the Operational Plan

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