Chad: the African Development Fund approves a grant of USD 11 million to increase rice production through comprehensive water management.

The Board of Directors of the African Development Fund – the African Development Bank Group’s concessional financing window – approved a grant of USD 11.53 million to Chad in Abidjan on 17 December 2024 to implement the Project to Support Rural Infrastructure Development and the Promotion of Agricultural Value Chains (PADIR-CVA).

“Chad, a landlocked country in the Sahel, faces major challenges, particularly in terms of economic diversification, poverty reduction and food insecurity. This project aims to increase rice production through irrigation to reduce the impact of climate hazards and contribute to reducing food insecurity in the country,” commented Claude N’Kodia, the African Development Bank’s Country Manager for Chad.

The project plans to develop an area of irrigated farmland with comprehensive water management covering 240 hectares, including the installation of a solar-powered pumping station. This will comprise a PVC pressurized water transport network, a network of concrete channels with tracks along them, a protective dyke around the area, a drainage network (main and secondary drains) and various reinforced concrete structures (intake, regulation and crossing points).

It also plans to organize and build the capacity of producers, promote entrepreneurship among young people and women, and promote agricultural value chains. The project will implement socioeconomic infrastructure to facilitate the processing, storage and marketing of locally produced agricultural products.

Cover photo: The African Development Fund continues to support Chad in combating food insecurity through the new irrigation project.