The 2030 Agenda is a global commitment to “leave no one behind” in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nowhere is the challenge of leaving no one behind more salient than in rural areas.

Adopted by United Nations (UN) Member States in 2015, Agenda 2030 is the global agenda for sustainable development. It features 17 Global Goals and 169 targets, indicators and means of implementation.

Agenda 2030 is universal: it applies to countries at all levels of development. It is ambitious in its goal to eradicate poverty and hunger, and to put all economies and societies on a sustainable path. It is also comprehensive, spanning social, environmental and economic issues.

IFAD’s vision of inclusive and sustainable rural transformation is one in which extreme poverty is eliminated and every rural family lives in dignity.

To achieve this vision, IFAD works with its Member States and other stakeholders to generate improved and more resilient livelihoods for all poor rural people, including smallholder farmers, land-poor and landless workers, women and youth, marginalized ethnic groups, and victims of disaster and conflict, while not undermining the natural resource base.

IFAD and the SDGs

Given its goal of transforming rural areas and its unmatched experience in investing in smallholder farmers, IFAD plays a central role in achieving SDGs 1 and 2.

SDG 1 - No poverty
SDG 2 - Zero hunger

IFAD is a leader in the use of innovative measures to promote rural women’s empowerment. Through investments and policy engagement, and by promoting approaches that target households, it addresses the underlying causes of gender inequality to ensure equal access by rural women to productive assets and services, and to employment and market opportunities. IFAD also supports decision-makers and partners to design and implement investments, policies and strategies that address inequality. In this way, IFAD makes a major contribution to SDGs 5 and 10.

SDG 5 - Gender equality
SDG 10 - Reduced inequalities

IFAD contributes to SDG8 by fostering inclusive, diversified and productive rural economies that create opportunities for decent work and higher incomes. IFAD invests in rural people to increase their productive capacities and their benefits from market participation. It has extensive knowledge and expertise that it draws on to support development of value chains, inclusive financial services, and rural enterprises.

SDG 8 - Decent work and economic growth

By investing in approaches to sustainable agriculture that better preserve and restore the natural resource base and increase the resilience of farming systems to a changing climate, IFAD contributes to SDGs 13 and 15.

SDG 13 - Climate action
SDG 15 - Life on land

Additionally, through its work to foster inclusive, diversified and productive rural economies - including in the areas of agribusiness, and rural-urban linkages, IFAD’s work also contributes to SDGs 9 and 11. Broadly, its investments in sustainable agriculture contribute to SDGs 6, 12 and 14. IFAD already works extensively in partnership with others, and will strengthen and diversify its partnerships to achieve the goals (SDG17)

SDG 6 - Clean water and sanitation
SDG 9 - Industry, innovation and infrastructure
SDG 11 - Sustainable cities and communities
SDG 12 - Responsible consumption and production
SDG 14 - Life below water
SDG 17 - Partnerships

By strengthening local institutions and natural resource governance, IFAD supports:

SDG 16 - Peace, justice and strong institutions