Switzerland and IFAD share a commitment to eradicating poverty, hunger and malnutrition. Both prioritize sustainable agriculture and put rural women and men, and smallholder farmers, at the centre of their work.

Switzerland is a founding member of IFAD and one of its largest donors. It is actively engaged in IFAD’s governance, including through the Executive Board and the Evaluation Committee. Switzerland has been an important partner in enhancing IFAD’s development effectiveness, for example by supporting the role of independent evaluation within the Fund, assisting in IFAD’s decentralization process, and helping IFAD to support smallholder farmers in adapting to the increasing effects of climate change.

IFAD focuses exclusively on poverty reduction in rural areas, where 80 per cent of the world’s poorest people live. IFAD-funded projects help rural women and men to produce more food, sustainably manage natural resources, start businesses, build strong organizations and gain a voice in decisions that affect their lives. Its work tackles the root causes of poverty and contributes directly to the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.

IFAD leverages the core resources it receives. Every dollar that Switzerland invests in IFAD delivers a pro-poor total investment equivalent to 4 dollars. The Fund has 40 country offices across the developing world and is headquartered in Rome, Italy, the UN’s food and agriculture hub.