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 support São Tomé and Príncipe's efforts to build resilience against climate change and boost agricultural productivity.
This supplementary funding brings the total project financing to $18.9 million, comprising a previously approved African Development Fund (ADF) grant of $10.05 million, and the new GEF contribution of $8.9 million from the GEF's Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF). The Government of São Tomé and Príncipe and project beneficiaries will contribute an additional $700,000 in-kind.
The grant will support the implementation, in São Tomé and Príncipe, of the Co-management of the Climate Extremes for Agriculture and Fisheries Resilience Project (PRIASA III), which seeks to strengthen the country's agricultural and fisheries sectors against climate shocks, including droughts, floods, and water depletion. The project will run for five years, from February 2024 to December 2029. PRIASA III will build on the successes of PRIASA I and II - the Project for Rehabilitation of the Infrastructure that Support Food Security in São Tomé.
"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 African Development Bank's Country Manager for São Tomé & Príncipe. "São Tomé and Príncipe's agricultural and fisheries sectors are fundamental to the country's food security and economic stability, making this investment critical for sustainable development."
Strengthening Climate Resilience Through Innovation
The GEF grant will enable the construction and rehabilitation of surface-water storage technologies, including ponds and tanks for harvesting rainwater, as well as groundwater storage systems. It will also support the installation of small-scale irrigation kits and drip irrigation systems, and small-scale off-grid photovoltaic pumps, to help improve farms' access to water. Additionally, new techniques will be introduced to conserve irrigation water and soil moisture.
The project will also strengthen rural roads to improve market access, enhance agrifood transformation units, and develop financial incentive mechanisms to support farmers, with particular attention on women and youth.
"The adoption of value chain development approach to be implemented by different actors including SMEs through climate smart agriculture technologies will promote jobs for women and youth, increase income and improve livelihoods in Sao Tome & Principe Island. This approach is in accordance with one of the four cardinal points that the Bank will focus on in the next 5 years for agriculture development in Africa," said Neeraj Vij, Regional Sector Manager at the African Development Bank Group.
Building Capacity and Knowledge Management
A significant component of the GEF funding will support capacity building initiatives, including training for government officials from the water, agriculture, and energy sectors, and the establishment of local leadership councils to facilitate engagement with stakeholders.
The project will implement a comprehensive knowledge management system to capture and disseminate lessons learned from pilot activities, ensuring that successful adaptation strategies can be replicated across the country and region.
The African Development Bank serves as the executing agency, while the project will be implemented by São Tomé and Príncipe's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development.
