Rome, 11 November 2011 – Plans to ensure greater impact of programmes and projects supported by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will be mapped out when representatives from government, civil society, farmers’ organizations, the private sector and development agencies join IFAD staff in Libreville, Gabon on 14 November 2011 for a three-day regional forum.

The West and Central Africa forum is organised by IFAD and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Rural Development of the Republic of Gabon, whose minister, Raymond Ndong Sima, will open the event.

“Although IFAD works mainly through the public sector, the resources that it brings to bear can be used to help establish an enabling policy and institutional framework for private sector development in rural areas,” said IFAD’s Mohamed Béavogui, Head, Partnership and Resource Mobilization Office and Senior Advisor to the President, who will also open the forum. “These resources can also finance critical public goods and services so private-sector markets can be made to work more efficiently and on terms more favourable for the rural poor.”

More than 250 participants are expected to attend the forum. Working groups will be set up to examine project successes while thematic-learning working groups will focus on the role of farmers’ organizations and public-private partnerships in rural development.

Supporting private-sector entities that can provide commercially viable services and markets for the rural poor is an important component of sustainable rural development programmes. The off-farm sector is also a critical source of income, especially for the poorest segments of the rural population. A broader approach that also supports the establishment of viable linkages between rural producers and private markets is essential to increase the income and livelihoods of rural people. Establishing market linkages and supporting private enterprises in rural areas require a new set of policies, instruments and means of engagement between the public and private sectors, with appropriate support from external donors.

“IFAD can also leverage additional resources from the private sector through its catalytic role in mobilizing funds, its willingness to partner with others, and its efforts to explore new and innovative ways to enhance the impact of its operations,” Béavogui added. “Sharing experiences and learning between farmers’ organisations, NGOs, the private sector, and government is vital to the impact of projects.”

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Press release No.: IFAD/81/2011

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives. Since 1978, IFAD has invested about US$13.2 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects empowering about 400 million people to break out of poverty, thereby helping to create vibrant rural communities. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome – the United Nation’s food and agricultural hub. It is a unique partnership of 167 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).