Press release number: IFAD 06/06

Rome, 15 February 2006 - The importance of listening to the voices of rural poor people was the message delivered by the Prime Minister of Bhutan in his inaugural statement to the 29th session of the International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) Governing Council meeting today in Rome. Delegates from IFAD's 164 member countries are attending the session.

''We need to listen to the voices of the rural poor. And I mean listen deeply,'' said Lyonpo Sangay Ngedup, Prime Minister and Minister for Agriculture of the Kingdom of Bhutan. ''Dare we ... think about rural poverty reduction without listening to the very people toiling to survive in remote villages? ... We dare not.'' He stressed that ''such listening demands humility and tolerance in everyone ... especially so in leaders and the elite who are in the position to influence or steer the change process.'' He asked delegates to be ''open to the grass-roots wisdom, and invite such wisdom to change how you think about what you do.''

The Governing Council is IFAD's highest decision-making authority. This year's session focuses on innovation as key to poverty eradication efforts worldwide.

In a message read to delegates from Kofi Annan, the UN Secretary-General stressed that ''IFAD will continue to play a key role in the work to reach the Millennium Development Goals - agreed by all governments as a blueprint for building a better world in the 21st century''.

In his opening address to the Governing Council, the President of IFAD Lennart Båge spoke of the unprecedented focus on development issues over the past year and ''on the fact that we are not reaching the MDGs - in particular in sub-Saharan Africa - and that more resources for development are needed.''

Båge also stressed the importance of IFAD's role within the United Nations system. ''Development finance is growing and UN organizations have to demonstrate that they are effective channels for these resources,'' he said. ''What IFAD does is important. But what all of us do, as a well coordinated and coherent system is what ultimately will make a difference.''

During 2005, IFAD's programme of work rose by about 10 per cent, continuing the upward trend of previous years. The organization also responded to the exceptional needs created by the tsunami and the South Asia earthquake by developing fast-track projects to restore livelihoods.

At the end of last year, IFAD's member countries also completed the negotiations for the Seventh Replenishment of IFAD's Resources for 2007-2009. The key element underlying the good outcome of the negotiations is ''the strong support for the Fund by all parts of IFAD membership, both net contributing and borrowing countries,'' said Båge. ''The Seventh Replenishment negotiations reinforce IFAD's foundation as a partnership of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, other developing countries and the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development,'' he said.

The representative of the World Food Programme spoke of the importance of the partnership between the Rome-based UN agencies, saying that ''with concerted action and adequate resources, it is possible to achieve the MDGs''. The representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN stressed the importance of increasing financing for poverty reduction, stating that ''overcoming poverty and hunger will require investments in agriculture beyond today's level''.

An application for membership by the Pacific island nation of Niue was approved by the Governing Council, bringing the total number of IFAD member countries to 165.

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IFAD is a specialized agency of the United Nations dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. Through low-interest loans and grants, it develops and finances projects that enable rural poor people to overcome poverty themselves. There are 185 ongoing IFAD-supported rural poverty eradication programmes and projects, totalling US$6.1 billion. IFAD has invested nearly US$2.9 billion in these initiatives. Cofinancing has been provided by governments, beneficiaries, multilateral and bilateral donors and other partners. At full development, these programmes will help nearly 80 million rural poor women and men to achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Since starting operations in 1978, IFAD has invested almost US$9.0 billion in 707 programmes and projects that have helped nearly 300 million poor rural men and women achieve better lives for themselves and their families. Governments and other financing sources in the recipient countries, including project participants, have contributed almost US$8.8 billion, and multilateral, bilateral and other donors have provided another US$7.0 billion in cofinancing.