The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development has partnered with the Global Green Growth Institute on a USD 600,000 Seed Fund to scale up climate-smart agriculture across West Africa, strengthening food security, mobilising green investment and building resilience for the region's most vulnerable farmers and agribusinesses.
The ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development has taken a significant step in strengthening West Africa's climate resilience by signing a USD 600,000 Seed Funding Agreement with the Global Green Growth Institute. Channelled through the Bank's Regional Fund for Agriculture and Food, the funding will reinforce the West African Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture, an ambitious programme designed to accelerate the transition towards sustainable and resilient agricultural systems across the ECOWAS region.
The agreement was formalised during a signing ceremony on 11 December 2025 at EBID's headquarters in Lomé. The event brought together senior officials from both institutions and reaffirmed the strategic alignment of their missions at a time when climate volatility is placing mounting pressure on food systems, rural livelihoods and national economies.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Dr George Agyekum Donkor, President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of EBID, underscored the importance of climate-smart agriculture in achieving the Bank's broader ambition of fostering sustainable and inclusive growth. He described the West African Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture as a flagship intervention that anchors EBID's Climate Change Response Operational Area. He also noted that the initiative is designed to protect the region's food security, stimulate green investment flows and generate fresh economic opportunities for smallholder farmers and agribusinesses that remain vulnerable to shifting climate patterns.
Dr Donkor emphasised that the Seed Fund represents more than a financial contribution. In his words, it serves as a catalytic instrument that will help scale up technical assistance, promote capacity building and mobilise the resources necessary to deliver meaningful climate action across agricultural value chains. The funding is expected to strengthen institutions, expand the pipeline of bankable climate-smart agriculture projects and give financial actors the tools required to support adaptation and mitigation in a region where agriculture remains both a critical livelihood source and a climate hotspot.
The Global Green Growth Institute delegation was led by its Regional Director for Africa, Ms Katerina Syngellakis. She commended EBID's leadership in spearheading climate-action programming across West Africa and highlighted GGGI's ongoing commitment to expanding green investment and supporting countries as they transition towards more sustainable development pathways. She reaffirmed that the partnership aligns with GGGI's strategic drive to mobilise climate finance, strengthen ecosystems for green growth and promote innovation in agrifood systems.
The collaboration between EBID and GGGI represents a shared vision of a region where agricultural transformation goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship. The Seed Fund will play a particularly crucial role in advancing the West African Initiative for Climate-Smart Agriculture through project preparation support, investor engagement and the coordinated mobilisation of stakeholders across the agricultural landscape.
As climate threats become more pronounced, the need for resilient and adaptable agriculture has never been more urgent. With this agreement, both institutions signal their determination to empower small and medium enterprises, financial intermediaries and value chain actors while equipping them with the knowledge, technology and financial access required to withstand climate shocks and harness new opportunities for growth.
Ultimately, the partnership stands as a testament to the transformative potential of regional cooperation. It offers a model for how West Africa can accelerate climate adaptation, deepen food-system resilience and sustain long-term development outcomes that benefit both rural communities and national economies.