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When climate and natural disasters strike, it’s rural people who are worst affected. Investing in their resilience ensures that they not only endure times of crisis, but emerge stronger. Associate Vice-President of Programmes Donal Brown explains how rural communities can change the world for the better.

Press conference - IFAD’s Member State consultation and pledging session.

Integrated farming provides ecosystem benefits and builds climate resilience. Find out how this system is strengthening Cambodia’s small-scale farmers and their communities.

Last Friday at the COP28 UN climate summit in Dubai, UAE, the Netherlands announced an historic pledge of US$150 million to IFAD.

In the face of escalating climate change impacts on vulnerable rural populations globally, Alvaro Lario, the President of IFAD, emphasized today that promoting gender equality in rural communities is essential to climate change adaptation, with women acting as powerful catalysts of change.

For rural people, the climate nightmare is a reality. They urgently need support to adapt to a changing world. To do this, IFAD is issuing three calls to action – find out what they are.

Following the recent release of data confirming a sharp global decline in climate finance dedicated to adaptation efforts, IFAD and partners have today unveiled a new financing mechanism to boost support to small-scale food producers in rural communities in Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda to adapt to a changing climate.

Antony Blinken, the US Secretary of State, announced today at the COP28 UN climate summit in Dubai that the US will contribute US$50 million to the Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS)’s new multi-donor trust fund, hosted by IFAD.

In a world of climate catastrophes, rising food prices and global instability, find out how persons with disabilities are taking their rightful place in the effort to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Follow IFAD's journey at COP28, as we showcase efforts towards sustainable agriculture, climate resilience and food security, and raise the voices of rural people all over the world.  

IFAD will urge global leaders at COP28 to urgently focus far more attention and funding to the hundreds of millions of small-scale farmers who feed much of the world and are key to global food security and stability.

IFAD and the Government of Indonesia signed a new initiative aimed at transforming dryland farming to make it more climate-resilient and profitable, bolstering the livelihoods of over 200,000 farmers over the next five years.

COP is an annual meeting where decision makers discuss how best to tackle climate change. But how did the summit come to be and what difference does it make for rural people? Find out here.

A regional knowledge and experience sharing workshop that addresses nutrition, rural development and food system transformation began today in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire. Improving food and nutrition security in West and Central Africa is crucial. It is estimated that 29.8% of the population of West Africa and 13.9% of the population of Central Africa are undernourished.

COP28 is just around the corner – our 50th episode focuses on small-scale farmers and their resilience in the face of climate change.

Ahead of COP28, IFAD urges global leaders to shift gears and drastically and urgently scale-up climate finance for small-scale farmers and small agribusinesses.

The path towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals has never seemed more precarious. Find out how IFAD is using private investment to secure prosperity and sustainable development for the world’s poorest communities.

Private investors are a powerful force to help us fund a world where no one is left behind, said Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD at the London Stock Exchange (LSE).

El FIDA se incorporó como nuevo miembro adherente de la Asociación Latinoamericana de Instituciones Financieras para el Desarrollo.

In Nigeria, aquaculture brings new opportunities to rural youth and helps to reduce the country’s unemployment rate.

Gérardine Mukeshimana, the recently appointed Vice-President of IFAD, will make her first official visit to Egypt during which she will discuss with Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly the need for concerted action to advance sustainable rural development through Egypt's Nexus for Water, Food, and Energy (NWFE) Programme.

Climate change is having a huge impact on Indigenous Peoples all over the world. We sat down with three indigenous youth to talk about how erratic weather patterns are affecting their communities and how they are drawing on tradition and technology to cope with it.

IFAD will share results of its first sustainable bonds at the London Stock Exchange (LSE) on 21 November, and illustrate how investments are improving the lives of hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers, who are trying to cope with climate change, inflation and broken supply chains.

The Regional Overview 2023 indicates that, despite halting the upward trend in the last period, hunger levels in the region remain above the 2019 figures prior to the outbreak of COVID-19. In addition, 8.6% of children under five years of age are overweight.

The Near East, North Africa, Europe and Central Asia is a dynamic region faced with many challenges. We caught up with Regional Director Dina Saleh to find out how rural people are coping with the realities of conflict and climate change and to understand why the right investments now can make all the difference later.

As the climate crisis intensifies and the world seeks sustainable solutions, IFAD, together with its partners the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, and the Packard Foundation, have today announced the recipients of the Indigenous Peoples' Assistance Facility grants.

Generations of farmers in Egypt have used valley beds to grow figs and olives, but today’s erratic weather patterns have caused land degradation, soil erosion and a drop in yields. Find out how water management technology is bringing these flavoursome fruits back to life.

In the midst of a tumultuous 2023 marked by heightened instability due in part to new and ongoing conflicts and the intensifying impacts of climate change worldwide, Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD, emphasized the critical need for “strong global leadership and commitment” to support the most vulnerable in rural areas of developing countries during his first official visit as president to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).

IFAD will present to an audience of investors how the proceeds of its first sustainable bonds have been invested and how the investments are improving the lives and livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of small-scale farmers.

Rural people are safeguarding our planet with their generational knowledge, a unique affinity to the land and perseverance. They also grow much of the food that feeds us. But who are they beyond their role as farmers, fishers and herders?

Rural women are at the heart of agriculture – yet they’ve less resources, time and decision-making power than men. So how does IFAD combat gender inequality in rural communities?

West and Central Africa is as intricate as it is vast. We sat down with Regional Director, Bernard Mwinyel Hien, to better understand the region’s strengths and challenges.

“Los productores agropecuarios en pequeña escala están particularmente expuestos a los efectos del calentamiento global y son actores fundamentales en la solución a la crisis climática”, señaló Juan Carlos Mendoza, Director de la División de Ambiente, Clima, Género e Inclusión Social del FIDA.

As Brazil redoubles its efforts to combat poverty and hunger, IFAD and the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES) signed a new financing agreement today to strengthen the resilience of one million people in rural areas of the Sertão, Brazil's semi-arid and highly vulnerable region in the Northeast of the country.

Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Tran Thanh Nam praised the long-standing collaboration between IFAD and the Government of Viet Nam to transform rural lives and livelihoods in the country.

IFAD is working to tackle malnutrition and food security in Laos. Find out how the Agriculture for Nutrition Programme has improved the diets of rural communities across northern parts of the country.

IFAD and Grow Asia launched the Smallholder Economic Empowerment through Digital Solutions project with financial support from the Republic of Korea’s Ministry for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs today.

IFAD is contributing to rural development and social innovation in Guyana’s hinterland.

Find out how small-scale farmers can get locally grown food to the children who need it, when they need it, while earning a decent income and supporting their families and communities.

Water is key to food and agriculture, but with many parts of the world increasingly affected by water scarcity, it’s critical that we use it wisely. Luckily, small-scale farmers are up to the challenge.

On International Rural Women's Day, we recognise the tremendous strength of rural women and girls across the globe. These women and girls, the backbone of our rural communities, are not just farmers, entrepreneurs, and caregivers; they are the very heartbeat of the land they nurture and the families they sustain.

In celebration of Rural Women's Day on 15 October, IFAD has collaborated with the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir (SGC) to launch the #Sing4RuralWomen social media challenge. Through a new song composed by IFAD’s Carlo Ladd, and interpreted by SGC, this initiative aims to celebrate the pivotal role played by rural women worldwide and raise awareness through music and dance on social media.

Cerca de 4 000 jóvenes de áreas rurales y periurbanas en Bolivia, Colombia y Honduras han mejorado sus medios de vida tras su participación en un proyecto de desarrollo rural para jóvenes financiado y promovido por el FIDA, junto a su socio estratégico ICCO Cooperación.

Amid growing climate impacts and water scarcity, the Kingdom of Morocco and IFAD signed an agreement today for a new project that will improve the livelihoods and living conditions for rural people in the mountainous areas of the Oriental region and reduce their vulnerability to climate change.

Women are the driving force behind rural communities, yet they have less resources, time and decision-making power than men. Join us and Soweto Gospel Choir and sing for rural women so more people can hear why they matter.

When rural women access finance, the entire world flourishes. Find out how financially empowered women are leading the fight against climate change, achieving sustainable development and ensuring food security for their communities and the planet.

Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD and Dr Aboubakar Nacanabo, Minister of Economy, Finance and Foresight of Burkina Faso, today signed a new financing agreement to further strengthen the resilience of small-scale farmers.

All over the world rural women face numerous challenges that men do not. Find out how an IFAD-funded project in Türkiye is providing them with the tools to lift themselves out of poverty and thrive.

Moonshots for Development (M4D), the alliance of innovation labs and venture arms of several multilateral development banks, launched the groundbreaking AI for Climate Resilience in Rural Areas Innovation Challenge.

IFAD and the Government of Malawi today signed additional funding of US$57 million to increase support to small-scale farmers and micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.

Rural people in Nigeria face unimaginable challenges. Find out how farmer-focused social enterprise Babban Gona and IFAD have joined forces to support those who are most in need.

Meet IFAD’s new Vice-President. Gerardine Mukeshimana discusses the importance of investing in rural communities, climate change adaptation and giving women access to resources.

The Near East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia Division of IFAD is pleased to share this call for proposals aimed at selecting a recipient or consortium of recipients to receive an IFAD grant.

Food loss occurring after harvest and before retail sale, also termed post-harvest loss, is a key challenge in many developing countries and one that IFAD is committed to alleviate.

Investing in rural communities is a long-term solution to many of the problems the world is facing – but projects must keep giving, long after they’ve come to an end. Find out more about IFAD’s longtail impacts across the globe.

After France and Norway announced their highest-ever financial contributions to IFAD yesterday, preceded by Spain’s pledge of a four-fold increase last week, IFAD President Alvaro Lario is calling on leaders to urgently follow suit.

In this episode, we’re tackling malnutrition. In the spotlight we have an intriguing report on obesity in developing countries. Then we speak to IFAD's Lead Technical Specialist on Nutrition, Joyce Njoro, about the factors driving food inflation and its impact on access to healthy diets. Also in episode 48, Nadine Gbossa shares with us the key findings from this year's UN Food Systems Stocktaking Moment.

Fitch Ratings confirmed IFAD Long-Term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) at 'AA+' with a Stable Outlook.

Con el objetivo de revalorizar la ruralidad desde el protagonismo juvenil, el FIDA premió hoy en su sede en Roma a los jóvenes ganadores del Concurso de YouTubers y TikTokers Rurales, provenientes de Bolivia, Colombia y Honduras.

Poverty is both a symptom and a driver of conflict. That’s why IFAD supports the poorest and most marginalized people as they contribute to a more peaceful world where everyone can access dignified work that fosters shared economic prosperity.

El Niño is back, and its effects are expected to have dire consequences for rural people. Oliver Page explains why we must do more to create a resilient, sustainable future in the face of this devastating climate phenomenon.

World leaders gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), to rebuild trust, reignite solidarity among nations and rescue the UN's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes rescuing Sustainable Development Goals for Zero Hunger and No Poverty. Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD, warns of the dire and irreversible effects that the climate crisis will have on hunger and poverty if sound adaptation measures are not taken quickly.

FAO, IsDB, and IFAD have joined hands in a significant partnership agreement aimed at enhancing global food security and nutrition. This trilateral cooperation agreement focuses on empowering rural smallholder farmers by providing them with accessible, affordable and adaptable technologies crucial for ensuring food security.

As countries meet to evaluate how much progress has been made towards the Sustainable Development Goals, find out more about these 17 objectives and why they’re important for the rural communities we work with.

IFAD’s Regional Director for the NEN region, Dina Saleh, reacts to the disastrous events that have occurred in the region this week.

Roads may sometimes be taken for granted. But for remote rural communities, they can be life changing. Find out how integrating roads and water management can lead to sustainable economic growth.

A devastating earthquake in Morocco has rocked rural communities. IFAD’s team are on the ground to understand how our project participants and the projects themselves have been affected.

Rural people across the world live in a dizzying array of contexts, yet they face surprisingly similar struggles. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, countries in the Global South learn from each other and share resources so they can overcome development challenges together.

Chef Saeng's Gaeng Nor Mai Som, a hearty and delicious Lao sour bamboo soup, takes us on a flavourful journey into the heart of Southeast Asia.

The Asia Pacific region is one of dizzying contrasts and incredible scale. We caught up with Regional Director, Reehana Rifat Raza, to find out the challenges faced by rural people in this dynamic region and how investment can make all the difference for their futures.

En el marco de la Cumbre de Finanzas en Común 2023, la Asociación Latinoamericana de Instituciones Financieras para el Desarrollo (ALIDE) y el FIDA han anunciado su nuevo partenariado para promover el desarrollo agrícola y rural, impulsar la seguridad alimentaria y combatir la pobreza rural en toda América Latina y el Caribe.

Public Development Banks are a crucial but often underappreciated force driving global change for the better. As the world confronts compounding crises, we deep dive into PDBs and why they matter for rural people.

East and Southern Africa is home to a diversity of landscapes, people and challenges. We sat down with Regional Director Sara Mbago-Bhunu to talk about rural life and the importance of investment.

“Public development banks must ensure that their significant financial resources better serve the fight against hunger, poverty and climate change”, said Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD, at the Finance in Common Summit 2023 (FICS) today in Colombia.

IFAD and Stanbic Bank Uganda (SBU) today announced a partnership that will cut the cost incurred by Ugandan migrant workers sending money home in half by using Flexipay, a digital payments’ platform.