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"We look forward to celebrating our Twentieth Anniversary during
1998 with enthusiasm, conscious of the need to redouble our efforts in
support of the poor but, at the same time, confident of our skills and
capacity to do so. On the basis of the experience of these last twenty
years we can look forward to the next twenty years in which I hope and
believe that IFAD will contribute significantly to realizing the noble
goal of a World Without Hunger."
Fawzi H. Al-Sultan, President of IFAD
Foreword to the 1997 Annual Report
(PDF Format - 10975KB)
In 1998, IFAD completed twenty years of operations
as a lead agency of the United Nations in the fight against poverty and
hunger. The Twenty-First Session of the Governing
Council, held on 11 and 12 February 1998, launched one of the
celebrations for this anniversary: a multi-media science and technology
exhibition based on IFAD’s twenty years of field experience and project
achievements. The Expo, entitled "From
Hope to Harvest", focuses on technological and institutional
innovations that have had an impact on poverty alleviation. It demonstrated
how with IFAD’s assistance, scientific research and the local know-how
of the poor themselves have contributed to the generation and widespread
adoption of such innovations. The Expo has been seen in Rome, Uppsala
and Washington DC.
Other events and initiatives to commemorate the 20th
Anniversary are as follows:
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The first Global Meeting and Formal Launching of the
Knowledge Network on Civil-Society Initiatives in Land Reform and
Tenurial Security was held in Rome, Italy, on 9 and 10 February 1998,
in conjunction with the Twenty-First Session of the Governing Council
and celebrations for IFAD’s Twentieth Anniversary. The Knowledge
Network is one of the activities of the Popular Coalition to Eradicate
Hunger and Poverty, with the objective of collecting, reviewing, assessing
and disseminating information and data on civil-society initiatives
to improve the rural poor’s access to land and water resources,
including common property resources. The event was attended by approximately
40 regional, national and local people’s groups and non-governmental
organizations (NGOs) as well as senior officials of the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations and World Bank.
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An International Seminar on Rural Poverty and Development
was held in Caracas, Venezuela, on 17 and 18 February 1998, with participants
from Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador and Peru. The
Government of Venezuela has advised IFAD that the Fund’s logo
will be stamped on all the country’s official mail.
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The Government of Burkina Faso celebrated the Twentieth
Anniversary of IFAD on 12 March 1998. A special IFAD Day
was held in Sibalo, Passore Province, with the participation of approximately
1 500 producers and representatives of local authorities
and the Department of Agriculture. The programme included: (a) the
awarding of 60 "best producer prizes"; (b) field visits;
(c) the planting of trees by local authorities and invitees; and (d)
the projection of films highlighting the benefits of projects. The
Government of Burkina Faso has issued stamps, brochures and tee-shirts
bearing IFAD’s logo and Twentieth Anniversary emblem.
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In cooperation with the Department of Rural Development
Studies (DRDS) of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
and the Nordic Africa Institute, the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
held a seminar on poverty eradication in rural Africa on 11 and 12
May 1998, in recognition of IFAD’s Twentieth Anniversary, the
launching of Sweden’s new policy on partnerships with Africa,
and the long-standing cooperation between the Nordic and African countries
in the pursuit of poverty eradication. The seminar focused on politico-economic
reforms in Africa and their impact on different groups of rural poor;
and on the role that access to assets can play in addressing poverty
issues. Specific aspects covered were IFAD’s twenty years of
experience, new challenges and opportunities in smallholder development
in East and southern Africa, and knowledge creation and dissemination
in the context of strategic partnerships and alliances. The seminar
also paid tribute to IFAD as a small but effective United Nations
organization that has pioneered the development of new approaches
to poverty reduction in the rural areas. The occasion provided a forum
for linking IFAD’s experience to the strategies and approaches
of other international institutions and to current knowledge in the
international research community. In addition to officials of the
Swedish International Development Authority and the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, representatives of World Bank, the seminar was attended by
representatives of other Scandinavian governments (Denmark, Norway
and Finland) and Swedish NGOs.
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A series of events from 1-5 June 1998, culminating
in a Workshop on Public and Private Partnerships in Combatting
Rural Poverty was held in Washington DC, United States. During
that week, portions of IFAD’s Expo "From Hope to Harvest"
were displayed in the Rotunda of the Russell Senate Office Building
under the sponsorship of Senator Byron Dorgan and with financial
contributions from several NGOs and business concerns. A symbolic
tree was planted in the grounds of the US Capitol Building by Congressman
Sonny Callahan, Republican, a Chairman of the House of Representatives'
Foreign Operations Subcommittee, and by the President of IFAD.
The tree is to symbolize the vibrant and life-giving partnership between
IFAD and its historically largest contributor, the United States of
America. Ambassador Princeton Lyman commended IFAD on its two
decades of work, commented on the fine contribution that former
Vice-President Donald Brown had made to the institution's development
following his career with USAID, and read a congratulatory letter
from President Clinton. The workshop focused on three themes:
(a) microfinance, (b) the Popular Coalition to Eradicate Hunger and
Poverty, and (c) fighting desertification. Members of Congress
and Senators spoke about their support for these activities, and a
number of participants made specific recommendations for strengthening
collaborative activities.
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The Dominican Republic commemorated IFAD’s
Twentieth Anniversary on the occasion of the IFAD/Foundation for Training
and Applied Research in Agrarian Reform (CIARA) Workshop on Gender
Implementation in IFAD Projects in Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, the Dominican
Republic, Ecuador and Venezuela. The workshop was held in Santo Domingo
from 8 to 13 June 1998.
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The Government of Switzerland is planning to hold a
workshop on the evaluation of the Special Programme for Africa, within
the context of IFAD’s Twentieth Anniversary. The workshop will
take place in the Swiss Capital of Bern.
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The Government of Bangladesh has informed IFAD that
it intends to issue a stamp bearing the Fund’s Twentieth Anniversary
logo on 17 October 1998, the International Day for the Eradication
of Poverty. This is part of Bangladesh’s programme of activities
highlighting IFAD’s role in the country’s poverty alleviation
and rural development efforts, with particular focus on collaboration
with civil society, the private sector, the Government and NGOs.
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During the course of 1998, the Government of Belgium
will be organizing events relating to IFAD’s collaboration with
the Belgian Survival Fund.
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The Government of Gabon indicated its intention to organize
an IFAD Day to commemorate the Fund’s Twentieth Anniversary.
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Italy has issued a new ITL 500 coin bearing IFAD’s
Twentieth Anniversary logo in addition to the 3 million telephone
cards bearing IFAD’s logo issued by the Italian telephone company,
TELECOM Italia Spa.
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The Government of Japan has informed IFAD that it expects
to hold a workshop within the context of the Fund’s Twentieth
Anniversary.
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A special IFAD Day is to be organized by the Government
of Tunisia focusing on the Fund’s work in the country and presenting
information on current projects.
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The Government of Uganda has indicated that activities
to commemorate IFAD’s Twentieth Anniversary are under preparation.
The President of the Fund has been invited to participate in these
celebrations.
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The International Islamic Charitable Organization, based
in Kuwait, has informed the Fund that it has published a number of
articles in its journal in recognition of IFAD on the occasion of
its Twentieth Anniversary.
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