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We have a new look: 10 pages not to miss - IFAD
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Explainer | 23 September 2024
We have a new look: 10 pages not to miss
Estimated reading time: less than 1 minute
IFAD’s mission has been consistent for almost five decades: invest in rural people. But the way we communicate about it to the world is constantly changing overtime.
That’s why our website has a fresh new look. Here are ten pages you shouldn’t miss – from our long history to the people at the heart of our work.
Where we work
Spanning five regions and 92 countries, IFAD works where poverty and hunger are deepest: in the most remote rural regions and fragile situations of developing countries. Though often called “the last mile”, we consider it the first: where small-scale farmers grow the food that nourishes the world.
Our vision
Vibrant and sustainable rural communities free from poverty and hunger: that's IFAD’s vision. With three in four of the world's poorest people living in rural areas of developing countries, the road to a resilient future runs through there.
Two local men from Kafr El Sheikh in northern Egypt. Small-scale farmers here are supported by the SAIL project which supports climate-resilient farming practices. © IFAD/Aly Hazzaa
Assessing our impact
To understand whether our work is making a difference in rural people's lives, we systematically conduct impact assessments on a representative sample of our projects. These compare the outcomes of small-scale producers who received IFAD-supported investments against the outcomes of those who did not. We also report on our progress in the Report on IFAD’s Development Effectiveness, the Annual Report on the Independent Evaluation of IFAD and other mechanisms.
IFAD’s history
Did you know? IFAD was founded in 1977 following a global food crisis. From the outset, our mandate has been to tackle hunger and poverty in rural communities. Since then, IFAD-supported projects have reached hundreds of millions of rural people around the world.
Take a journey through our major milestones, from our establishment to the present day.
Indigenous Peoples
With their ancestral knowledge and deep connection to the Earth, Indigenous Peoples are the guardians of biodiversity and some of the world's most diverse ecosystems. Yet they are disproportionately affected by poverty and climate change.
See how we work with Indigenous Peoples driving their own development.
Climate and environment
Few people in the world are as affected by climate change as small-scale farmers – and that's why the projects we support have climate at their core. As the lives of rural people are upended by climate change, we support them as they adapt to new challenges while protecting the planet’s precious resources.
Ruth Cumbia Sejekam is coordinator of the the Bosque de las Nuwas Association's work committee in Peru. © IFAD/Giancarlo Shibayama/Factstory
Investors
Fun fact: IFAD is the first United Nations Fund and the only UN body and specialized agency, other than the World Bank Group, to raise funding on capital markets. As an international financial institution, we use a variety of ways to raise the funds needed to make a difference in rural people’s lives. One of these is through bonds. These give investors a high-quality asset and a unique chance to contribute to the 2030 Agenda.
Find out about making a smart investment for a better world.
People-centred development
The more engaged and empowered rural people are, the greater the impact of IFAD's work. That's why we take a bottom-up, community-driven approach to transforming rural livelihoods. Our pioneering work in empowering people to lead their own development means we are trusted by millions of small-scale farmers the world over.
See how our projects are designed for rural people, by rural people.
Sosaia Kaho Tapaevalu is one of 17 members of a youth-driven cluster farming group in Ha'akame, near the southwestern coast of Tonga’s main island, Tongatapu. © IFAD/Barbara Gravelli
Work with us
Feeling inspired yet?
Recipes for Change
Transforming our planet’s food systems also means transforming how we eat. IFAD partners with world-famous chefs to develop recipes inspired by IFAD-supported projects around the world. With a focus on sustainable ingredients, these delicious dishes bring you on a culinary journey that protects the planet.