By Ken KOUTCHAKPO
The Technologies for African Agricultural Transformation (TAAT) programme will play a central role at the Djibouti Agribusiness Forum from 10 to 12 June 2025, co-organised by the Government of Djibouti and the African Development Bank.
This continent-wide event, ‘Innovating, Investing, Transforming for Sustainable and Resilient Agriculture,’ aims to mobilise private and public investment to build innovative, resilient, and economically viable agriculture in Djibouti.
The forum is a strategic platform for dialogue between the Djiboutian government, investors, stakeholders in the field and technical partners, including the TAAT programme.
TAAT: a catalyst for agricultural technologies in Djibouti
The mission of the TAAT programme is to accelerate the adoption of proven, climate-smart, high-impact agricultural technologies developed by Africa’s leading research centres. In Djibouti, TAAT acts as an accelerator of agricultural transformation, based on specialised components supported by institutions like the World Vegetable Centre (Vegetables), WorldFish Centre (Aquaculture), International Livestock Research Institute (livestock), and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) for in-vitro culture.
TAAT’s multi-sectoral expertise has already been mobilised in a number of initiatives in Djibouti, in particular as part of the BREFONS project to strengthen the vegetable seed sector, support the design of a pilot mariculture farm and capacity building for mariculture sector professionals, support the development of the livestock sector in Djibouti, and support the design of a date palm in vitro culture laboratory.
This partnership will be strengthened as part of the forum to offer concrete solutions to the country’s agricultural challenges.
Unique added value for Djibouti
TAAT’s participation in the Agro-Business Forum represents a unique opportunity for Djibouti to capitalise on a pan-African network of knowledge, successful experiences and technologies tested in similar contexts.
Thanks to its integrated, results-oriented approach, TAAT is providing ready-to-use innovations in high-value-added sectors (vegetables, aquaculture, small ruminants, and fish farming) and building sustainable national capacity in research, production, certification, and management of these value chains.
The programme equally supports the implementation of a national agribusiness strategy based on efficient, water-saving technological solutions adapted to local climatic constraints, thanks to TAAT’s experience in supporting similar projects elsewhere in Africa.
Towards an ambitious vision for agriculture in Djibouti
The forum will be a key stage in the development of a national roadmap for agribusiness, based on input from technical partners and feedback from investors from all over Africa. This roadmap will culminate in a round table of donors and investors scheduled for the end of 2025, with the aim of positioning Djibouti as a reference centre for modern, sustainable and profitable agriculture in arid zones.
