The UN’s agricultural development fund announces new US$900 million investment to improve over 600,000 rural lives in Brazil

Brasilia, 19 July 2023 - The partnership between the Government of Brazil and the UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) aims to achieve unprecedented levels of results in the coming years to transform the lives of people living in rural areas. Together with key cofinanciers, such as the Brazilian Development Bank, the Green Climate Fund and the Interamerican Development Bank, investment could reach over US$ 900 million that will support more than 600,000 rural families in Brazil’s northeast to increase their productivity, food security and climate resilience.

IFAD President Alvaro Lario said that “Brazil has once again placed the fight against poverty and hunger very high on the political agenda. This is critical in a global context where 2.4 billion people are either moderately or severely food insecure. IFAD is ready to continue its efforts in partnership with Brazil to bring adequate resources and solutions to support rural communities, their institutions, food systems and environment. I’m glad to say that Brazil and IFAD’s priorities are fully aligned”.

Over the last decade, IFAD and Brazil have financed six major initiatives that represented a total investment of US$453 million. Every project had an independent impact assessment that has documented real improvements in the lives of more than 252,000 families. Approximately 60% of the projects’ participants were able to exit extreme poverty, 33% increased their incomes, 67% improved their access to food and 59% have diversified their diets. Meanwhile, in the family farming sector, 61% increased their production and 33% increased access to markets. 

IFAD President in Brazil

President Lario is currently visiting Brasilia to join various high-level meetings with key line ministries, such as Agrarian Development, Environment, Finance and Social Development. He also had an official meeting with Governors of the Northeast Consortium to explore a partnership renewal and to prioritize sustainable and inclusive rural development in the country.

Earlier this week, President Lario visited Paraiba and witnessed the impact of current and previous IFAD-supported initiatives and heard from local family farmers themselves. During his field visit, he saw successful examples of goat and sheep grazing, processing of native fruit pulp, water and sanitation, contextualized rural education and gender inclusion.

Investing in rural people

The strong partnership between IFAD and Brazil is based on a shared commitment to reducing poverty and pursuing innovative ways to assist rural communities. Since the 1980s, IFAD investments in Brazil have been focused on the semi-arid portion of the Northeast region, known as Sertão. Participants have been family farmers and vulnerable groups, such as indigenous and quilombola (Afro-descendant peoples) communities, as well as land reform settlers, women and youth. So far, 13 projects have been implemented with an overall US$1.18 billion total investment, of which US$297 million was funded by IFAD, to support 615,400 families.

IFAD’s operations in Brazil also include a regional South-South and Triangular Cooperation and Knowledge Centre (SSTC and KC) established in Brasilia, which constantly shares best practices from Brazil to other countries in the world.

Note to editors:

More information about IFAD's work in Brazil can be found here.

Life stories on how IFAD supported projects are helping family farmers overcome the impact of COVID-19 and poverty, here.

IFAD-supported projects are helping to maintain Brazil's biodiversity. Video here.

The Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP+) aims to mobilize $500 million from IFAD and other international donors to help more than 10 million smallholder farmers around the world adapt to climate change. It is the world's largest fund dedicated to this goal.

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Press Release: PR-68-2023

IFAD is an international financial institution and a United Nations specialized agency. Based in Rome – the United Nations food and agriculture hub – IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Since 1978, we have provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans to fund projects in developing countries. 

A wide range of photographs of IFAD’s work in rural communities are available for download from its Image Bank.