Stories

Despite their gruelling work, rural people all over the world aren’t getting a fair return. Find out how IFAD is empowering small-scale farmers to earn and produce more, while improving their working conditions.

Since its founding in 1977, IFAD has worked to enable rural people all over the world to overcome immense challenges and thrive. We take a look at some of our biggest successes over the years.

IFAD applies the latest tools and technologies to support small-scale farmers. Here are six examples of innovations proven to work for rural communities all over the world.

Our food systems need to change. Around the world, small-scale farmers, fishers and rural producers are already leading the transformation – here’s how.

Since 2011, over 700,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the border into Jordan. Here, both refugees and host communities in rural areas frequently struggle with poverty as water scarcity, feed shortage and rangeland degradation make farming a challenge. Meet three refugees that IFAD is helping to face these challenges.

Meet the woman who fought for her right to land ownership and contributed to halting drought and desertification.

Small-scale farmers in developing countries produce one third of the world’s food. But today they are only one flood, one drought or one failed harvest away from ruin. To stem the impact of climate change on food security and to reduce poverty, IFAD is calling for more investment in rural communities - now.

IFAD's new film, ‘A New Day’, tells the story of Tunisia’s rural people and is a testament to their resilience as they battle to adapt to our changing weather. We speak to two IFAD-supported project participants about their daily struggles, as well as their hopes and dreams for the future.

IFAD’s latest film, ‘A New Day’, was shot in Tunisia amid soaring temperatures. Get a behind the scenes look of how we made the film, the people we met and the challenges of shooting in an area dramatically affected by climate change.

In an age of multiple intersecting crises, only a holistic approach to both humanitarian and development assistance can disrupt the cycle.

The world is full of misconceptions about rural people and the environment. Find out what’s true and what’s not, as we debunk three major myths.  

Milk is widely produced in South Asia, but not without its challenges. Here’s how IFAD helps small-scale farmers across the region optimize their production.

To transform rural lives we must build a strong understanding of the countries we operate in. Find out how IFAD is doing just that in South Sudan.

Biodiversity is especially important for small-scale farmers. Here’s how IFAD is further integrating it into projects all over the world.

On World Bee Day, meet the pollinators buzzing to protect our planet and the rural people taking care of them.

Sri Lanka is among the world’s top five exporters of tea. But tea farmers here must balance making a profit and preserving the soil. Find out how IFAD is helping farmers diversify their income streams so they can be more resilient and secure a better life for themselves.

In India, two rural villages find comfort in solar-powered water systems.

Climate change poses a myriad of challenges for Argentina’s rural herders. But one woman has no intention of backing down and tells us how she plans to forge a new way forward.

Journalists can play an important role in telling the stories of Indigenous Peoples. Here are five ways in which the media can report on these important communities in a meaningful way.

Shepherds in Türkiye rely on the Taurus Mountains for their livelihoods - but living and working in these highlands is no mean feat. Here’s how IFAD-funded caravans have provided them with more comfortable, hygienic and safe living conditions.