Indigenous peoples have repeatedly asked for a more systematic dialogue with United Nations agencies. In response to this request, an Indigenous Peoples’ Forum has been established at IFAD. The first global meeting of the Indigenous Peoples' Forum at IFAD will be held on 11-12 February 2013, in Rome in conjunction with IFAD Governing Council.

The IFAD Policy on Engagement with Indigenous Peoples, approved by the Executive Board in September 2009, introduces the establishment of an Indigenous Peoples Forum at IFAD as “an instrument to systematically engage indigenous peoples at the local, national and international levels through a process of dialogue and consultation between representatives of indigenous peoples, IFAD staff and Member States.”

The Indigenous Peoples' Forum at IFAD was established in February 2011 during a workshop in Rome where 28 representatives of indigenous peoples’ organizations gathered from all continents. The workshop set forth the governance and participation criteria of the Forum as well as the objectives.

The objectives of the Forum are to:

• Monitor and evaluate the implementation of IFAD Policy of Engagement with Indigenous Peoples, including its contribution to the realization of the UNDRIP provisions,  and share and discuss these assessment with IFAD staff, Member States and representatives of indigenous peoples in order to improve the benefit for indigenous peoples;
• Build and strengthen partnerships between IFAD and indigenous peoples in order to address poverty and sustainable development with culture and identity, taking into account the perspectives and aspirations of indigenous peoples;
• Promote the participation of indigenous peoples’ organizations in IFAD’s activities at country, regional and international levels, at all stages of project and programme cycles, and support the capacity-building processes of indigenous peoples’ organizations.

Resolutions coming out of break-out groups and plenary discussions will be presented to IFAD’s Governing Council.