The World Bank Group has joined the Mobilizing Access to the Digital Economy (MADE) Alliance: Africa as a co-chair, alongside the African Development Bank Group and Mastercard. The alliance aims to provide digital access to critical services for 100 million individuals and businesses across Africa by 2034.
The initiative is focused on expanding secure, affordable, high-quality broadband and data connectivity, and ensuring that digital services are interoperable for users. The World Bank Group will contribute its expertise, data-driven insights, and experience in supporting sustainable digital transformation.
A major focus of the MADE Alliance is the agriculture sector. Through World Bank-supported “Digital Agriculture Roadmaps,” stakeholders can collaborate on country-specific action plans designed to help more farmers benefit from digital technologies.
Sangbu Kim, Vice President for Digital at the World Bank, said, “The World Bank Group is deeply committed to expanding inclusive digital access across Africa and connecting farmers to the digital tools they need to reach markets, access finance, and grow their businesses. Joining the MADE Alliance will help accelerate both of these goals, driving economic growth and improving livelihoods across the continent. By bringing together our digital and agriculture expertise, global knowledge, and local experience, we can help scale lasting, transformational impact.”
The World Bank Group became a member of the MADE Alliance in April during a Steering Committee meeting held at the International Monetary Fund and World Bank Spring Meetings in Washington, D.C. This meeting was co-chaired by African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina; Sangbu Kim; and Mastercard Vice Chairman and President for Strategic Growth Ambassador Jon Huntsman.
Dr. Beth Dunford, Vice President for Agriculture, Human and Social Development at the African Development Bank stated: “Two of the African Development Bank Group’s priority areas are to Feed Africa and Improve the Quality of Life for the People of Africa. The MADE Alliance: Africa brings us closer to achieving those goals by connecting the continent’s smallholder farmers to digital services that lead to greater food production, greater access to markets, financing and farming practices, as well as to increased incomes. The World Bank’s demonstrated expertise in the digital connectivity and agriculture sectors enables the MADE Alliance: Africa to reach more farmers eager to be part of Africa’s agricultural transformation.” The African Development Bank has committed $300 million over five years toward MADE Alliance programming.
Tara Nathan, Founder and Executive Vice President of Community Pass at Mastercard added: “The MADE Alliance brings complementary partners together to execute and implement programs that target the same regions and communities, allowing us to amplify our impact. The World Bank brings enormous expertise in digital transformation and agriculture, and we are honored they have joined the alliance to deploy resources more efficiently and accelerate our work to help bring everyone into the digital economy.”
Since its launch in May 2024, projects under MADE Alliance include support for payment tools benefiting 50,000 sunflower farmers in Tanzania; deployment of affordable high-speed internet with skills training for 13 farmer cooperatives reaching about 10,000 people in Kenya; funding from African Development Bank Group aimed at helping Kenya National Farmers’ Federation build capacity among 250,000 Kenyan farmers; as well as new membership from organizations such as United Nations International Fund for Agricultural Development.
Other members involved with MADE Alliance include Equity Bank Group, Microsoft, Heifer International, Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, Unconnected.org, Yara International ASA (Yara), Shell Foundation, CRDB Bank Plc., Syngenta Foundation (in Kenya/Nigeria), among others.
More information about these organizations can be found on their respective websites: www.afdb.org (African Development Bank), www.worldbank.org (World Bank Group), www.miga.org (Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency), www.ifc.org (International Finance Corporation), ida.worldbank.org/en/home (International Development Association), www.icsid.worldbank.org (International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes).