Côte d’Ivoire Secures $24 Million to Restore Forests and Support Rural Communities

The financing package, worth approximately 13.5 billion CFA francs, includes a $6.87 million loan from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group’s concessional financing window.

Rural communities in central Côte d'Ivoire will receive fresh support to restore forests, develop agroforestry and strengthen their livelihoods through $24.07 million in additional funding for a regional climate adaptation programme. The investment will help rebuild forest cover in the country's former "cocoa belt," connecting the recovery of degraded landscapes with practical support for people whose incomes depend on land and natural resources.

The Government of Côte d'Ivoire and the African Development Bank Group announced the funding on 16 September 2026 in Bouaké during a programme monitoring mission held from 14–24 September. The mission reviewed progress on the Ivorian component of the Integrated Programme for Development and Adaptation to Climate Change in the Niger Basin (PIDACC-BN) and prepared for its next investment phase.

New Funding Targets Forest Recovery and Rural Livelihoods

The financing package, worth approximately 13.5 billion CFA francs, includes a $6.87 million loan from the African Development Fund, the Bank Group's concessional financing window. A further $12.6 million loan and $1.9 million grant come from the Climate Investment Funds' Forest Investment Programme, with Côte d'Ivoire's government contributing $2.7 million.

The new phase will cover Gbêkê, Bélier, Iffou, Moronou and N'Zi, directly benefiting around 30,000 people, a significant proportion of whom are women and young people. Investments will support forest restoration and rural economic activities, helping communities strengthen their ability to cope with climate change and contributing to the country's wider climate efforts.

Seven Million Seedlings and More Support for Producers

Planned investments include producing more than seven million forest seedlings, establishing 6,000 hectares of agroforestry systems and restoring nearly 3,300 hectares of forest plantations. Support for livestock farming, market gardening and agro-processing will extend the programme's reach beyond tree planting, linking environmental recovery with activities that can sustain household livelihoods.

Seedling production groups received 100 tricycles during the mission, and rural extension workers received 23 motorbikes to strengthen their operational capacity. The equipment provides practical support for the people responsible for producing seedlings and assisting rural communities, complementing the larger investments planned for landscapes and agricultural activities.

Turning Investment Into Results for Communities

Launched in 2018, PIDACC-BN works across the Niger Basin to strengthen climate resilience, restore degraded ecosystems, and promote sustainable natural resource management, with the Niger Basin Authority, based in Niger, providing regional coordination. Its Ivorian component operates in the country's Niger River sub-basin and Centre region, directly or indirectly benefiting more than 1.8 million people; the additional funding supports a new phase within that broader programme.

Elvire Joëlle Zouzou, chief of staff and general conservator of water and forests, represented Minister for Water and Forests Jacques Assahoré Konan and emphasized the responsibility to deliver results for communities. She called for collaboration to turn the available funding, partnerships and technical expertise into lasting improvements, placing implementation at the centre of the next phase.

Tandina Abdoulaye, the African Development Bank's chief programme officer for West Africa, said encouraging results already achieved demonstrated how targeted investment could restore ecosystems and strengthen communities' resilience. He highlighted the project's alignment with Côte d'Ivoire's National Development Plan, the Bank Group's 2024–2033 Ten-Year Strategy and its "Four Cornerstones," connecting local restoration work with wider national and regional development priorities.