Media backgrounder MB/13/08

IFAD President at Financing for Development Conference; meetings with top Qatari officials in Doha

Rome - Doha, 26 November 2008 – Urgent measures must be taken to reduce the risk that capital flows to developing countries may drop because of the current financial crisis, according to IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development).  At the United Nations Financing for Development Conference in Doha, (28 Nov to 2 Dec 2008) IFAD will also press for greater international efforts to tackling the root causes of the global food crisis and for the doubling of resources for agricultural development and rural poverty reduction

A joint statement on behalf of the three Rome-based UN agencies, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Food Programme (WFP) and IFAD, will be tabled by IFAD President, Lennart Båge.

It will examine progress on pledges made in the Monterrey Consensus in its impact on rural development

IFAD is also co-organising a side-event with its Rome-based sister agencies: “Tackling the food and hunger crisis: investing in food security, safety nets and small holder agriculture” (Sheraton Hotel, 30 November from 13:15 to 14:45).

A panel of high level experts and senior government officials from developed and developing countries will address the event, which will be moderated by the FAO Director General, Jacques Diouf and IFAD President, Lennart Båge - with John Powell, Deputy Executive Director of WFP acting as Rapporteur. Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, will close the discussions.

Mr Båge will address the need for increased private capital flows to low income developing countries, particularly foreign direct investments in Africa and least developed countries. The IFAD President will also underline the need to ensure that official development assistance (ODA) can serve as a catalyst for private investment in agriculture and food production.

The risks associated with the global financial crisis can be mitigated by promoting greater South-South investment, providing an enabling business environment and stimulating public-private partnership in the food production sector. 

During his stay President Båge is expected to meet with His Excellency Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Bin Jabor Al Thani, Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and His Excellency Abdullah bin Mubarak bin Aaboud al-Midhadhi, Minister of Environment, to further enhance cooperation with the State of Qatar on issues ranging from the need of greater investment in agriculture to the outcome of the Consultation on 8th Replenishment of IFAD Resources.

The bilateral discussions will also deal with operational cooperation including the establishment of the IFAD-cofinanced Regional Centre for Plant Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Doha, IFAD training possibilities for Qatari nationals and greater participation of Qatari experts in IFAD projects of which Qatar is a beneficiary.

The talks will also address on-going IFAD projects and programmes in the 55 member countries of the Islamic Conference Organization (OIC) and in the Near East and North Africa region.

Through its hosting of the FfD Conference and its partnership with IFAD, Qatar leads by example in facing the challenge to reduce rural poverty and achieve food security in low income countries.

Notes for Editors

Along with other members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Qatar was a founding member of IFAD and is one of only two member states to have hosted meetings of IFAD’s governing bodies outside Rome.  Most recently Doha hosted the 4th Session of the Seventh Replenishment of IFAD’s Resources. During this session, Qatar announced a pledge of US$10 million that jump-started the replenishment effort, enabling IFAD to increase its investments in rural poverty reduction to US$2 billion for the period 2007-2009. 

IFAD has financed a number of regional programmes in Qatar, especially in the field of agricultural research.  By December 2007, IFAD provided more than US$110 million for programs that support agricultural research, capacity-building and technology transfer activities.  Many of these grants benefited member countries of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC), including Qatar.

IFAD grants supported the treatment of date palm and livestock diseases, development of marine resources, promotion of rational use of water resources and introduction of brackish and saline water irrigation in the forage production cycle.

The Red Palm Weevil Integrated Pest Management Programme in the Near East has largely contributed to the containment of this pest afflicting the Gulf’s date production. Others pioneering programmes include the Regional Water Demand Initiative (WaDImena) to raise public awareness of rational water use in the Gulf countries, and the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources and Improvement of Major Production Systems of the Arabian Peninsula. 

Over the past two years, 14 Qatari nationals participated in training and capacity building courses organised by the IFAD-supported Agriculture Management Training Programme (NENAMTA) in Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. They acquired skills in agricultural project and programme design, planning and implementation.  

IFAD has approved a grant of USD200,000 for the establishment of a Regional Centre for Plant Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology in Doha.

The programme seeks to enhance food production and the natural resource base, promote the application of biotechnology to address low productivity, help GCC countries train  biotech researchers  and serve as an  and information hub.  

Helping the poorest communities in OIC countries in Asia and Africa

The 55 member states of OIC have received IFAD financing for 333 projects for a total value of USD4.38 billion. 43 per cent of IFAD’s loans and grants have been provided to OIC countries. IFAD works closely with OIC and Arab financial institutions, such as the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development and the Islamic Development Bank. Some 110 IFAD-supported projects, worth a total of USD5.2 billion, are co-financed by these partners. These projects have enabled a large number of poor rural families grow out of poverty and achieve food security.

Focussing on development priorities in the Near East and North Africa

As of December 2007, IFAD had invested in 106 projects in the NENA region through loans and grants of over USD1.3 billion that improved the lives of 30 million rural poor people. IFAD’s work in the region focuses on expanding poor rural people’s access to  finance, rural youth unemployment, linking small growers of non-traditional crops with markets, improving resources management, reducing vulnerability to water scarcity and boosting resilience to climate change.

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IFAD was created 30 years ago to tackle rural poverty, a key consequence of the droughts and famines of the early 1970s. Since 1978, IFAD has invested more than US$10 billion in low-interest loans and grants that have helped over 400 million very poor rural women and men increase their incomes and provide for their families. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency. It is a global partnership of OECD, OPEC and other developing countries. Today, IFAD supports more than 200 programmes and projects in 85 developing countries and one territory.