47th session of the IFAD Governing Council - events
Every day, rural people grapple with climate change, conflict, poverty and other hardships. In an increasingly complex world, we cannot rely on conventional approaches alone to respond to these challenges. We need new thinking, new ideas, new approaches. In short: we need innovation.
On 14 and 15 February 2024, heads of state, ministers, development professionals, innovation experts and small-scale farmers from all over the world will discuss how IFAD and its partners can better harness innovation so rural communities can find solutions to the challenges they face and thrive in a rapidly changing world.
An interactive Marketplace of Innovations will showcase 11 ground-breaking ideas that are delivering results for rural people – from AI and blockchain to Web3 and geospatial analysis – funded and developed by IFAD and partners.
Resources
Main events
Side events
Marketplace of Innovation
Powered by LACChain, AgroWeb3 will develop a single interoperable protocol, common standards and a universal integration system for digital wallets tailored to the needs of small-scale farmers. This will enhance the traceability of transactions, reduce transactional costs and better protect digital identities and data.
An open innovation challenge by the IFIs to transform the future of agriculture
This challenge, led by the Moonshots for Development Alliance, identifies, supports and finances AI solutions for climate resilience in rural areas. IFAD funds and provides coaching support for Farmer Lifeline Technologies, Viamo's Voice Companion for Farmers and Agpreneur.
AI-powered chat to enhance extension services for farmers
Small-scale farmers need timely and relevant information to farm better. Developed in partnership with Digital Green, this innovation will combine Artificial Intelligence with Natural Language Processing to provide context-relevant, inclusive and consistently updated advisory services via SMS or app.
Promoting local foods for better health and a better planet
The world is over reliant on rice, maize and wheat, while local foods are often underused. IFAD combines traditional knowledge to innovate so that local, nutritional and climate-resilient species, like fonio and sorghum, are produced and consumed.
Inclusive data for better land policies and programmes
A gap in official data on land tenure limits both rural development and efforts to implement better land policies. LandMonitor collects, analyses and presents land tenure data, working with target groups to improve data collection and encourage evidence-based decision-making.
An app to address sexual harassment in the workplace and across IFAD-funded projects
IFAD's winner of the UN Culture Change Innovation Challenge, this app connects users with IFAD’s reporting channels in their native language in an encrypted and anonymous way, lowering the threshold to report sexual harassment and seek help.
Blockchain to enhance transparency and trust
IFAD uses blockchain technology to enhance transparency and combat corruption, while virtual reality allows people to experience our projects in an accessible and cost-effective way, while encouraging investment from donors.
Enhancing decision-making with geospatial data
Collecting and presenting geospatial data is complex and time-consuming. GeoScan reduces the time required, providing accessible and accurate geospatial data from various sources on multiple themes, including demographics and poverty, to enhance evidence-based decision-making, monitoring and evaluation.
A database of innovative solutions to address the impacts of climate change
The National Initiative for Smart Green Projects Governorates in Egypt’s Governorates will develop a map of smart green projects that provide innovative and local climate solutions. This database facilitates and encourages national investments in the green economy.
Revolutionizing Project Procurement with Automation
IFAD OPEN introduces end-to-end automation, enhances efficiency and ensures transparency in project procurement. Simultaneously, BUILDPROC is a comprehensive certification programme for procurement officers, reshaping public procurement for IFAD-financed projects.
IFAD's internal platform for data and analytics
Omnidata empowers IFAD’s workforce to do more with data and AI, developing data dashboards and AI solutions for use cases across many different and thematic areas. Through this, a strong community of practitioners are developing new skills, augmenting the way they work and sharing knowledge.