IFAD-BSF joint programme
The Belgian Parliament created the Belgian Survival Fund (BSF) in 1983 in response to the public calls to combat hunger in sub-Saharan Africa. The following year, BSF and IFAD formed a partnership to pursue a common goal: to help poor people in rural areas overcome poverty and improve food security. Since 1984, the BSF Joint Programme has cofinanced 44 projects focused on improving the food security of the rural poor. The Joint Programme has a mandate to take a multidimensional and synergistic approach in its social and productive sector interventions. The projects that it supports target the most vulnerable populations in the most fragile parts of Africa. Under the Joint Programme, IFAD loan support is complemented by BSF cofinancing in the form grants to support health, water and sanitation, and education components. Healthy and educated communities are also more productive communities. And as they become more productive and empowered, they are better able to manage their own lives, improve their standard of living and take advantage of opportunities for off-farm employment and enterprise development. The Joint Programme helps maximize the performance of IFAD’s investments and the complementary funding it provides in the social and productive sectors has been shown to result in a higher internal rate of return. A recent study conducted by the University of Leuven on behalf of the Joint Programme clearly demonstrates the value added and synergies of this combined support in the social and agricultural sectors. A typical project under the Joint Programme is financed by a BSF grant (a maximum of 45 per cent of total costs), an IFAD loan (a minimum of 55 per cent) and contributions from other financial partners, including governments, NGOs, community-based organizations and other community groups. Local farmers' organizations and national microfinance institutions often contribute and participate in Joint Programme projects as they play a crucial role in strengthening the business skills of rural people.
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