IFAD’s work in the region is guided by the organization’s Strategic Framework, its four thematic priorities for the region and by individual country strategic opportunities papers (COSOPs), reflecting governments’ own priorities in rural development and prepared in consultation with governments, donors and other partners. The thematic priorities encompass: (i) a new focus on managing land and water resources for poverty reduction, including the key role of empowerment of community-based resource management groups; (ii) achieving a breakthrough in rural microfinance by building partnerships with leading organizations in this area and collaborating with commercial banks and major regional financial institutions; (iii) tackling rural unemployment by using the results of ongoing action research to identify effective, targeted interventions and; (iv) linking smallholder farmers and the rural poor with international markets by assisting NENA countries in developing export markets for non-traditional products and by working with existing private sector or NGO initiatives in this area. IFAD’s experience in the region has shown that, with the right support, local people can sustainably manage the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend.

The Oversight Committee (OVC) was established in May 2000 with a mandate to coordinate investigations into alleged irregular practices, namely (i) fraud and corruption, when applied to entities, contractors and non-staff individuals applying for or participating in IFAD-financed activities, and (ii) staff misconduct. The efforts of the Fund to prevent the incidence of fraud and corruption in its activities and operations were further boosted through the adoption of an anticorruption policy by the Executive Board in November 2005. Throughout 2006, IFAD worked towards introducing the structures and tools required for implementing its anticorruption policy. In 2006, the investigative capacity of the OVC was considerably reinforced with the establishment of the Investigation Section within the Office of Internal Audit. The OVC took specific actions to model its operating procedures and practices according to quality standards and best practices. It also took the lead in other activities related to implementation of the IFAD anticorruption policy, which included organizing an external review of the Fund’s investigation and sanction processes. The review prompted a major institutional reform of IFAD’s legal framework and procedures for conducting investigations and imposing sanctions, including the disbanding of the OVC, redefinition of the role of the Office of Internal Audit (renamed the Office of Audit and Oversight), establishment of a sanctions committee, and development of debarment procedures. These changes were introduced in early 2007, aligning IFAD with best practices applied by other United Nations agencies and the major multilateral development banks in this area.

Secure access by rural poor people to both land and water is central to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals, in particular the target of reducing by half the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and hunger by 2015. Most of these people depend on agriculture for their livelihoods. However, international debate continues to address land and water issues separately, and to view the significant use of water in agriculture as problematic.

The First Mile Project is about how small farmers, traders, processors and others from poor rural areas learn to build market chains linking producers to consumers. Good communication is vital. The project encourages people in isolated rural communities to use mobile phones, e-mail and the Internet to share their local experiences and good practices, learning from one another. While communication technology is important, real success depends on building trust and collaboration along the market chain. Ultimately farmers and others involved develop relevant local knowledge and experience and share it – even with people in distant communities – to come up with new ideas.

Learn about IFAD's work and results in the 2005 Annual Report. This includes stories about the rural people we invest in, and covers our advocacy to keep the needs of rural communities at the top of the international development agenda. The Report also provides the facts and figures we regularly share with our Member States and partners.

The IFAD Oversight Committee (OVC) was established by the President of IFAD in May 2000 to coordinate investigations into alleged irregular practices as a means of ensuring consistent, prompt and appropriate responses to allegations. The OVC investigates allegations of irregular practices pertaining to activities within IFAD or in connection with operations and contracts financed by IFAD, decides on the investigative actions to be taken, determines the role of IFAD in investigations involving external parties (such as national authorities or cooperating institutions), and reports to the President the facts that have emerged from the investigation.

FAO, IFAD and WFP are accelerating their efforts to help countries achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). More than 1 billion people live in extreme poverty, suffering hunger or undernourishment. The vast majority – about 810 million women, men and children – live in rural areas, where they depend on agriculture and related activities for their survival. The three Rome-based agencies agree that none of the Goals can be achieved unless extremely poor people, especially those living in rural areas, are supported in their struggle to emerge from poverty and hunger. Consequently, the agencies are focusing their efforts on the targets of the first Goal, to reduce by half by 2015 the proportion of people living in extreme poverty and hunger.

Good communication is vital to small farmers who need better access to markets and to reliable information about prices, product quality and market conditions. Can new information and communication technologies (ICTs), especially the Internet, help? The First Mile is a two-year pilot project supported by the Government of Switzerland. It is implemented in collaboration with the Agricultural Marketing Systems Development Programme of the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania. Technical assistance is being provided by the International Support Group.

Over the past 25 years, there have been at least 80 wars around the world. While the places may vary, today’s violent conflicts have some striking similarities: almost all are civil wars and the majority of victims are civilians, not combatants. Most of these internal conflicts have taken place in poor countries, impeding their development. In fact, more than half the countries where international development agencies currently operate are affected by war. Unfortunately, the majority of these conflicts are ongoing events, not temporary emergencies. Today’s average conflict lasts about eight years – twice as long as conflicts before 1980. And many more people are killed in conflicts by hunger and disease than by actual fighting.