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Turning dreams into reality in West Africa
March 2023
Young people in rural areas of West Africa are leaving unemployment behind and setting up successful agri-businesses.
As Cyclone Freddy breaks records, vulnerable rural people are in the eye of the storm
March 2023
For over a month, Cyclone Freddy has been battering south-east Africa. This may be the longest-lasting tropical cyclone ever recorded—and vulnerable rural communities are in the eye of the storm. We explain what this means for IFAD’s project participants in the region.
Meet the young entrepreneurs fighting to preserve and restore our biodiversity
March 2023
Young people the world over know that conserving our biodiversity is key to eradicating hunger and achieving a healthy and sustainable food system. Here’s how they’re fixing our broken planet.
A digital divide is holding rural women back. Here is what we can do to change this
March 2023
Many rural women are excluded from digital services. What is causing the digital divide and what can we do to end it?
From tulips to tomatoes: Technology empowers women in Asia
March 2023
In Pakistan and Bangladesh women are harnessing technology to connect to the world and build a business, one click at a time.
What difference does rural investment make to the world’s poorest people?
February 2023
As we begin our 13th replenishment, our Report on IFAD’s Development Effectiveness ensures we continue to efficiently invest in rural people, protect the planet and leave no one behind.
From coca leaves to cocoa beans: How farmers in the Peruvian Amazon are innovating using digital tools
February 2023
In Peru, IFAD-funded project helps small-scale farmers connect to new markets and access technical assistance online.
Rural people in Sudan call time on water wars
February 2023
As the climate crisis takes hold and water scarcity sparks conflict, rural people in Sudan are finding ways toward peace and equitable resource management.
Meet the winners of the Indigenous Peoples Awards 2023
February 2023
Through the Indigenous Peoples Awards, IFAD celebrates inspirational development projects that partnered with and made a real difference to indigenous communities in 2022
Giving Indigenous Peoples the recognition they deserve: Why updates to IFAD's policy matter
February 2023
IFAD’s updated Policy on Engagement with Indigenous Peoples enshrines the value of their traditions and supports the crucial role they play in the world. We spoke with three experts to get an insight into the policy.
Georgia and Kyrgyzstan: sustained efforts toward collective community pasture management
February 2023
Pastoral communities in Georgia and Kyrgyzstan work hand in hand with IFAD to make land use more equitable, productive and sustainable.
How smallholder farmers in Madagascar, Burkina Faso and Eswatini endured the coronavirus pandemic
January 2023
When covid-19 brought the world to a standstill, IFAD helped farmers’ organizations adopt new ways of operating amid a global pandemic.
Putting rural people in the development driving seat in Ethiopia
January 2023
In Ethiopia, community driven development puts small-scale farmers in charge of identifying what they need to prosper and how development funding should be used.
The Tunisian woman who weaved her way to a better life
January 2023
In rural Tunisia women are breaking free of gender norms and building successful businesses to provide for their families.
Fish farming brings prosperity in the Lao People's Democratic Republic
January 2023
Lao farmers are working hand in hand with IFAD to change rural fortunes through fish farming.
2022: Resilience in the face of adversity
December 2022
As we near the end of 2022, IFAD looks back on some of the themes that defined a year of dramatic change.
Three innovative farming solutions made possible through South-South and Triangular Cooperation
December 2022
The importance of the South-South and Triangular Cooperation and three ways it changed the lives of smallholder farmers.
Lasting traditions: How Dao healers are custodians of indigenous knowledge and the natural environment
December 2022
In Viet Nam the Dao people treat ailments with local herbs, forest products and generational knowledge.
Rural people in crisis: The latest news from IFAD
December 2022
Rural people are still paying the highest price for the rise in food, fertilizer and fuel costs. The Crisis Response Initiative was set up as part of IFAD's ongoing efforts to build rural people's resilience to these shocks. Here are selected highlights on the crisis from our teams in the field.
In Sierra Leone, social inclusion that leaves no one behind
December 2022
In Sierra Leone, IFAD helps persons with disabilities overcome the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic through farming.
Funding resilience in The Gambia
December 2022
In The Gambia, the second phase of IFAD’s Rural Poor Stimulus Facility helps vulnerable communities get back on their feet after the COVID-19 pandemic.
An old crop for a new crisis: how cassava helped Samoans through the pandemic
December 2022
Faced with the prospect of food insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, Samoans turned to an ancient staple to feed their families and communities.
Rising sea levels threaten Egypt's fertile plains in the Nile Delta
December 2022
The Nile Delta is the breadbasket of Egypt, but climate change threatens agriculture here. IFAD is working to protect the land and improve the quality of previously infertile land. Sabrina Dhowre Elba, IFAD colleagues, and project coordinators and participants describe how this is changing people’s lives.
Here comes the sun: solar-powered irrigation brings crops back to life in Rwanda
December 2022
In rural Rwanda, solar-powered irrigation gives women farmers a sustainable alternative to time-consuming and expensive manual and diesel-powered systems.
Indigenous Peoples are protecting biodiversity, one harvest at a time
December 2022
To conserve biodiversity, Indigenous Peoples use centuries-old food systems anchored in sustainable practices and unique to their native ecosystems.
There’s a whole world beneath our feet.
December 2022
Healthy soil is key to the world’s food security. IFAD is helping farmers in Ethiopia shift from harmful pesticides to environmentally-friendly pest management treatments, in a bid to heal the earth beneath our feet.
How disability and the climate crisis converge
December 2022
18 million persons with disabilities are expected to be displaced by climatic events by 2050, we must urgently include them in climate action—both as participants and decision makers.
Opening opportunities for people with disabilities in rural Nepal
December 2022
In a remote village in wester Nepal, an IFAD-supported project is working to enhance the resilience of the most vulnerable members of the community, including women and people with disabilities.
Changing the world, one goal at a time
November 2022
IFAD partnered with Italy’s Serie B football league and international footballer Gianluca Lapadula to promote our work and raise awareness of the vital role small-scale farmers play in feeding the world.
It’s time to end violence against rural women
November 2022
Violence against women is one of the greatest barriers to sustainable development. On the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, let's reaffirm commitments to eliminate and prevent gender-based violence.
COP27 is over. Here are five things the world must do now to move forward
November 2022
As the countdown clock to 2050 ticks ever louder, IFAD was at COP27 to share what we know about responding to climate change. Here are five solutions to help the world get back on track towards a more sustainable future.
Saving the Amazon: The story of the indigenous women fighting climate change
November 2022
In the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, a group of indigenous women are fighting climate change through reforestation and ancestral farming techniques.
Why climate finance matters: Your questions answered
November 2022
Climate finance is complicated, and we get a lot of questions about everything it entails. We’ve put together some answers to the ones we receive most often.
Climate finance keeps carbon where it belongs: underground
November 2022
Climate finance is essential to prevent the worst-case climate scenarios from happening and to protect the most vulnerable people from a climate breakdown.
Financing resilience: how ASAP+ is helping rural communities adapt to climate change
November 2022
When it comes to climate change, small-scale farmers are among the world’s most vulnerable communities. This is why IFAD focuses on climate resilient agriculture and climate finance through programmes like ASAP+.
Four ways small-scale fishers can help us weather the climate storm
November 2022
Climate change and environmental degradation are posing an unprecedented threat to the world. Find out how small-scale fishers are weathering the storm – and becoming part of the solution.
COP: Where does it come from and where is it going?
November 2022
Egypt is set to host COP27, 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 farmers? Find out here.
The planet is awash with climate disasters. Meet the rural people battling to endure them
November 2022
One year on from the biggest global commitment to financing climate adaptation at COP26, we are yet to see the actions needed to follow through on this promise.
Seeing the bigger picture: 6 ways IFAD uses GIS to optimize climate investment
November 2022
Discover how IFAD uses Geographic Information Systems to better understand where and how climate change is affecting smallholder farming, and what is needed to mitigate its effects.
A tale of two towns in Tajikistan
October 2022
In Tajikistan two neighbouring towns face different fates as one suffers the aftermath of drought and displacement and the other is saved by irrigation.
Five ways IFAD is helping to reduce rural poverty in an age of climate change
October 2022
Even when a world without poverty seems out of reach, here’s how IFAD continues to work in developing countries, amplifying the voices of rural people and integrating them into value chains, so they can earn and save, while feeding the world and conserving the natural environment.
What’s on the menu in 2050?
October 2022
What’s on the menu in 2050? For World Food Day, we contemplate what our plates might look like in the future and explore how the world’s small-scale farmers are revolutionizing what we eat.
Rural Women Rise
October 2022
Meet some of the inspiring women IFAD supports as they, in turn, bolster the people around them.
You are what you eat: Indigenous youths breathe new life into ancient traditions
October 2022
Young members of indigenous communities are working to reverse centuries of dispossession and preserve their way of life, including their food heritage.
Water brings life to rural people
October 2022
Irrigation brings water to the world's poorest rural people in the right quantities and when they need it, helping farmers adapt to climate pattern shifts.
Mapping the way to a better future
September 2022
An inside look at how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can help map projects and lift rural people out of poverty.
Solving a data dilemma in the Solomon Islands
September 2022
When the Solomon Islands began seeing its first cases of COVID-19 in early 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock activated emergency food relief efforts. But after years of neglecting data collection, how do you find and feed people without addresses, street names or house numbers?
IFAD’s hopes for UNGA77
September 2022
World leaders and the heads of UN agencies come together in New York this week for the UN General Assembly. As global crises compound and converge, now is the time for global action and common ground. IFAD’s President-elect, Alvaro Lario, will use this opportunity to advocate for rural people and push to transform food systems.
A new sustainable way to fish for better incomes and diets in Nigeria and Ghana
September 2022
Cage aquaculture is a greener, cheaper method of fish farming. Thanks to South-South and Triangular Cooperation, ProSCAWA is helping small-scale fishers get started with cage aquaculture and meet growing demand for fish.
It’s time to transform African agriculture. These numbers show why
September 2022
African agriculture is at a crucial juncture. It has enormous potential to not only feed Africa, but also the world. Yet, global conditions are holding small-scale African farmers back. Five numbers show how transforming African agriculture can make a big difference.
East Africa is experiencing its worst drought in decades. It’s time to invest in climate adaptation
August 2022
East Africa is experiencing one of the worst droughts in decades, with millions facing food insecurity as crops fail, livestock die and water sources dry up. Read how IFAD is building resilience to climate change and what else needs to be done.
Women-led sea patrols in the Philippines are protecting livelihoods and the ocean
August 2022
Coastal communities in the Philippines depend on the sea for sustenance, but these once thriving oceans are emptying due to climate change and harmful fishing practices. Local women are fighting back, protecting fisheries while using them sustainably.
Making money with honey in Türkiye
August 2022
The highlands of southern Türkiye are honey heaven. Meet two beekeepers who are building a flourishing honey business while protecting bees and, in turn, biodiversity.
Meet 3 young people in Bangladesh upskilling their communities
August 2022
With limited access to schools, markets and jobs, many young people leave Bangladesh’s Haor wetland region in search of more stable opportunities. Meet three young people IFAD is helping to upskill so they can generate an income while staying in the region.
The future is rural: Meet the young people determined to build a better future at home
August 2022
Rural youth around the world face a dilemma: their roots are in their rural homes, but it’s often hard to build a future there. Meet some of the young people IFAD is helping to devise solutions to the challenges they see around them and build more resilient futures.
5 indigenous words about the environment that don’t exist in English
August 2022
Indigenous peoples can teach us a lot about mitigating the impacts of climate change. Over generations, these communities have protected the biodiversity of their homes. They also use language in a powerful way to describe how they interact with the natural environment. Discover five unique words and concepts.
How IFAD worked with governments in Asia to build rural resilience during COVID-19
August 2022
The pandemic pushed up to 80 million people in Asia into extreme poverty. Governments across the region had to respond quickly as incomes fell and food security was threatened. IFAD worked with them to ensure vulnerable rural people got the support they needed.
After the tsunami, home gardens provide fresh food and renewed hope in Tonga
August 2022
When a massive tsunami devastated low-lying coastal areas in Tonga, local people had to rebuild their lives from scratch. For many, home gardens provided much needed fresh produce, as well as renewed hope for the future.
Key figures (and some letters) from IFAD’s 2021 Annual Report
July 2022
The world entered 2021 on a precipice. We all knew the path we had been on was unsustainable and inequitable, and that nothing less than transformative change would be needed for recovery. As we face the challenges 2022 brings, we’re looking back to the lessons we learned in 2021 to guide our next steps forward.
See how permaculture transformed farmland in Nepal from barren to lush
July 2022
When Megnath Ale Magar returned to his village in Nepal after a decade working abroad, he found a degraded land. In just three years, he transformed his barren farmland into a lush ecosystem using a permaculture approach.
How the war in Ukraine is affecting the most vulnerable countries in the world
July 2022
Five Country Directors from IFAD’s highest priority countries in its Crisis Response Initiative tell us how the war in Ukraine is impacting rural people on the ground.
From subsistence to self-sufficiency: how women in Sudan are using savings and credit groups to build a better future
July 2022
Climate change, commercial agribusiness, and societal norms threaten small-scale farmers’ way of life in a small village in Sudan. A women’s savings and credit group is changing this.
How over one million small-scale farmers in Pakistan got the information they needed to withstand the COVID crisis
July 2022
COVID-19 presented new challenges for poor rural farmers in Pakistan. An IFAD-supported project shared personalized advice to farmers via their mobile phones to help overcome the challenges of the pandemic.
Discovering the fruits of the forests in Viet Nam—and preserving them for future generations
July 2022
Vietnamese rural people need to farm to eat and make a living. But if they don’t do this sustainably, it can damage the land and degrade the forests. IFAD’s new project helps them manage their forests sustainably, while earning a decent living.
Meet 10 rural small businesses making a big difference
June 2022
Micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the cornerstones of a vibrant rural economy. Discover ten rural businesses from every continent that are thriving with IFAD's support.
Take a 360° tour of a small, thriving pig farm in the green hills of Lao PDR
June 2022
In the tiny village of Manh, nestled in the green uplands of Lao, agricultural production groups are coming together to develop their businesses and learn new techniques. For Boun Tham, groups like these made all the difference for his pig farm.
My Kenya Diary: Sabrina Dhowre Elba
June 2022
Actor, activist, model, and IFAD Goodwill Ambassador Sabrina Dhowre Elba went to Kenya to see how rural small-scale farmers are transforming their communities. In her photo diary, she shares what she saw and learned on her visit.
Recipes for Change: Rice and beans with jackfruit meat and sautéed vegetables
June 2022
The main element in Chef Gil’s vegan dish is jackfruit, a truly sustainable crop. Calorie-dense and nutrient-rich, jackfruit are known for their nutritive value and their resilience against climatic shifts. With a unique texture akin to pulled pork, their versatility in the kitchen is unmatched.
Recipes for Change: Cricket japchae
June 2022
Japchae is a traditional Korean dish known for its versatility. Chef Yoon’s version features crickets, a superfood packed with essential nutrients. If you’re looking for a new source of protein with almost no greenhouse gas emissions – or you’re just feeling adventurous – give this recipe a try.
Against the backdrop of conflict and COVID-19, IFAD is helping farmers grow in Yemen
June 2022
Years of conflict in Yemen have taken their toll – and among all of the devastation that’s been wrought, the country’s agricultural sector is one of the hardest hit. Now, an IFAD-supported initiative is helping Yemeni farmers get back on their feet.
12 reasons why remittances are important
June 2022
Remittances continue to matter more than ever, particularly in rural areas where they count the most and provide further opportunities towards rural transformation. Here are 12 reasons why.
Recipes for Change: Millet upma & jackfruit curry
June 2022
Millets – grain-producing grasses that can be found on farms all over the world – were at risk of being forgotten entirely amid the rise of industrial agriculture. They’ve made a comeback in recent years, thanks to a growing awareness of their nutritional and environmental benefits among farmers, chefs and consumers.
Recipes for Change: Lentil and sorghum curry with flatbread (liphaphatha)
June 2022
This dish is Chef Ska Moteane’s take on a traditional Lesotho recipe. It combines sorghum, a drought-tolerant crop grown in Lesotho, with lentils, a legume that takes well to the country’s cold highland villages, and adds a burst of nutrient-packed vegetables and fragrant curry spices.
Recipes for Change: Butternut squash, spinach & black-eyed peas with fonio
June 2022
A stew made with sustainable ingredients is comfort food at its best: good for you and good for the planet. This stew, presented by Chef Pierre Thiam, is inspired by ingredients from his childhood in Senegal. It features black-eyed peas (also known as cow peas), a central cultural element of West African cuisines.
Recipes for Change: Pasta, potatoes & asparagus
June 2022
For Chef Bowerman, this recipe is all about buying locally and working with the local ecosystem. It features anchovies – a favourite in her native Italy, and widely available all over the world – blended with rich, hearty pasta and potato.