A high-level engagement between AGRA and ECOWAS has significantly boosted efforts to transform West Africa’s agricultural landscape, with smallholder farmers and rice self-sufficiency placed firmly at the centre of a renewed strategic partnership.On the sidelines of AGRA Nigeria’s recent Deal Team mission, a senior AGRA delegation held productive talks with Dr. Kalilou Sylla, ECOWAS Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture.
The meeting advanced the formalisation of a comprehensive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and aligned both organisations on key regional priorities designed to deliver tangible benefits to millions of smallholder rice farmers.
Discussions centred on major upcoming initiatives, including the ECOWAS Rice Observatory Roundtable scheduled for June 2026, the Rice Development Finance Facility for West Africa, and the African Food Systems Forum (AFSF).
These platforms aim to unlock investment, strengthen policies, and scale innovations that will help smallholder farmers increase productivity, improve market access, and build resilience against climate shocks.
Dr. Kalilou Sylla praised AGRA’s consistent commitment to the region, describing the organisation as a powerful champion with the ability to influence the entire agricultural ecosystem.
He emphasised that genuine transformation can only be achieved through strong collaboration, aligned policies, and partners leveraging their respective strengths.
Natasha Kofoworola Quist, AGRA’s West Africa Regional Director, highlighted the significance of the engagement: “This partnership with ECOWAS is about creating real opportunities for smallholder farmers.
When we align regional policy with on-ground action, we can move from subsistence to prosperity, giving farmers the tools, markets, and support they need to thrive.”Quist added: “Our focus remains strong — every initiative, from the Rice Observatory to the new finance facility, must ultimately translate into higher yields in farmers’ fields, better incomes for their families, and greater food security across West Africa.
We are committed to working hand-in-hand with critical partners to co-create solutions that deliver measurable impact for smallholders.
”The strengthened alliance reflects a shared vision that smallholder farmers must be at the heart of West Africa’s food systems transformation. By combining ECOWAS’s regional influence with AGRA’s technical expertise and delivery capacity, both organisations aim to accelerate progress on rice value chains — a critical staple that supports millions of livelihoods.
For Nigeria and the broader ECOWAS region, this deepening partnership builds on national gains in seed systems, gender-inclusive policies, and digital extension services.
It signals a more coordinated and ambitious drive to reduce hunger, create wealth in rural communities, and position smallholder farmers as the engine of agricultural and economic growth.
The renewed AGRA-ECOWAS alliance offers fresh hope. With deliberate collaboration and farmer-focused execution, West Africa’s smallholders are closer than ever to reaping a more abundant and prosperous harvest.
