Link between rural innovation and entrepreneurship explored at IFAD's annual Member State gathering

Rome, 5 February – Pope Francis will address the 42nd session of the annual Governing Council meeting of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), where he will be joined by notable speakers, including the President of the Dominican Republic, Danilo Medina Sánchez, the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Republic of Rwanda, H.E. Gerardine Mukeshimana and the Prime Minister of Italy, Giuseppe Conte. The two-day event, taking place on 14-15 February 2019, will feature interactive sessions that explore investment opportunities, technical innovations and development challenges confronting smallholder agriculture.

Press events:

14 February

Press Briefing - Investing in Rural Youth

• Where: Sheikh Zayed Centre, FAO headquarters
• Time: Following the opening ceremony
• What: IFAD will be announcing a new official role for celebrity Sherrie Silver - the MTV award-winning choreographer, dancer and actress from Rwanda. Silver will be joined by IFAD experts and youth advocates to highlight how investing in employment opportunities for young people is key to reducing forced migration in Africa.

15 February

Launch event - IFAD launches new impact fund

Where: Plenary Hall, FAO headquarters

Time: a media scrum will be organized immediately following the event that begins at 11 a.m.

What: Leaders and experts from IFAD, the European Commission, the African, Caribbean, and Pacific Group of States, the Government of Luxembourg and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa will launch an innovative impact fund to boost investments in rural areas of developing and emerging countries to help grow small business and create jobs. Bamboo Capital Partners, the fund manager, will make a short presentation.

Read the full agenda and follow the webcast for all events.

Accredited press can register for one-on-one interviews with notable personalities participating.

This year, the IFAD Governing Council meeting and media accreditation will take place at FAO headquarters in Rome, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla. Deadline to request accreditation is 17.00 on 12 February 2019. Journalists need to specify for which days they wish to receive accreditation: the 14/02, the 15/02 or for both days. Journalists are requested to arrive no later than 07:45 to ensure access.

Please send:

• a copy of a valid press card or letter of assignment on company stationery;
• a copy of a valid ID (passport, identity card);
• email to [email protected] and include "Press Accreditation" in the subject line.

Please have all ID materials with you to gain access to FAO premises..

For more information about the accreditation process:

FAO media office, (+39) 06 570 53625, [email protected]

For further information on IFAD’s work, visit the website www.ifad.org

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MA/03/2019

IFAD has invested in rural people for 40 years, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided US$20.4 billion in grants and low-interest loans to projects that have reached about 480 million people. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized United Nations agency based in Rome – the UN’s food and agriculture hub.