Experts to discuss potential of agriculture to boost economic growth in Least Developed Countries

Rome, 6 May 2011 – Internationally known experts will gather in Istanbul on 9 May to explore the potential of agriculture to advance economic growth and food security in Least Developed Countries (LDCs). On the sidelines of the Fourth United Nations Conference on the LDCs (LDC-IV), they will discuss challenges and opportunities that poor rural people face. They will further explore possible policy and investment responses to strengthen rural development.

Despite recent improvements in economic performance in LDCs, progress in terms of poverty reduction has been slow. In fact, the number of people living in extreme poverty has continued to increase. Today there are more than 350 million people living on less than US$1.25 a day. With over 70 per cent of the total population of LDCs – or some 580 million people – living in rural areas, the agricultural sector is key to achieving food security, poverty reduction and growth in other sectors of the economy.

The discussion event New realities, challenges and opportunities for rural development in LDCs: Findings from the 2011 Rural Poverty Report, sponsored by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), will feature a panel on the findings and implications of IFAD’s Rural Poverty Report 2011.

The following IFAD officials will be available for interviews during the conference:

• Yukiko Omura, Vice-President (only 9 May)
• Edward Heinemann, Team Leader, Rural Poverty Report (only 9 May)
• Rosemary Vargas-Lundius, Senior Research Coordinator (9-10 May)
• Cheryl Morden, Director, North American Liaison Office (9-12 May)

Media Alert No: IFAD/05/2011

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 over US$12.5 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries, empowering more than 370 million people to break out of poverty. 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 166 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).