The importance of data management for pastoral communities
Globally, between 200 and 500 million pastoralists manage rangelands that cover over a third of the Earth’s landmass.
Indigenous knowledge – and resilience – in a COVID-19 world
It is increasingly clear that human health and our relationship with nature are inescapably intertwined. This holds true across many dimensions of health, including the potential for the transmission of disease – just as we are seeing with the current COVID-19 pandemic.
The red gold of Azilal: How thyme and saffron empower women in Morocco's High Atlas
Fatima Amaguar came home from university with an idea.
One small step: Empowering micro-, small and medium businesses across South Asia
It is something of a paradox that, while there is broad agreement that micro-, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are an integral part of the economy in developing countries, they remain underserved.
Get sick or go hungry: Afghan nomads battle against COVID-19
Since COVID-19 hit Afghanistan in mid-March, it has posed a dreadful dilemma for the Kuchis (Afghan nomads): get sick or go hungry.
Looking inward: I-Kiribati fight a double health crisis
COVID-19 is not the only health crisis threatening to devastate the population of Kiribati. Cases of diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have tripled between 2005 and 2010.
From La Paz to Turco: Going back to the roots to start a new life
Guadalupe Moller lives in Turco, a small community in rural western Bolivia. She’d spent most of her life in La Paz, Bolivia’s capital, but four years ago she moved back to Turco, where her family’s roots are.
Anka’s story: Working smarter – and fairer – in Montenegro
For all its rugged, mountainous beauty, Montenegro can be a very hard place to live – especially for women.
Keeping exports flowing: Saving development gains in Rwanda
When exports of dried pineapple resumed at the beginning of May, after the lockdown, Jean Damascène Hakuzimana, President of the Tuzamurane farmers’ cooperative, was relieved.
On tap: How regular water supply helped farmers discover a green thumb in Bhutan
Despite the lush greenery that surrounds Ngarpongtang village in Thangrong, Bhutan, until recently, it was impossible to grow vegetables there. “I used to have to go to other villages to exchange pinewood for vegetables,” says Wangdi, a 54-year-old farmer. “We couldn’t get vegetables to grow here.”
Sending money home: Ten reasons why remittances matter, now more than ever
Every year, on 16 June, the International Day of Family Remittances (IDFR) is observed in recognition of the fundamental contribution of migrant workers to their families and communities back home and to the sustainable development of their countries of origin.
Mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on small-scale agriculture in The Gambia
The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us just how vulnerable agricultural value chains are to external shocks – and how much more we need to do to build the sector’s resilience.
Planting seeds in the new normal: Rural women in Pakistan amid COVID-19
In rural Pakistan, women are important partners in agricultural development. They perform a variety of crucial tasks, including weeding and tilling land, planting seeds, collecting farmyard manure and harvesting. They are also responsible for cleaning, drying and storing grains.
In Brazil, a “quiet revolution” for rural women makes the invisible visible
In north-eastern Brazil, as in so many other places, rural women's work is often invisible. But a revolution is taking place – and IFAD is a part of it.
Bees, biodiversity and COVID-19 - World Bee Day
Bees support countless ecosystems, bolster biodiversity, anchor food chains and help ensure humans’ agricultural security. Not bad for insects no bigger than a paperclip.
Fast and flexible: IFAD’s first successful project restructuring protects smallholders in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The COVID-19 outbreak has disrupted agricultural and food systems around the world, along with the livelihoods and food security of the poorest rural communities – precisely the groups of people whom IFAD concentrates its efforts on.
Stay at home! Savings, contingencies and electronic wallet use
Without initially knowing it, last year more than 13,000 young women in Colombia began to prepare for the current economic and social impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
No ordinary solution: Afro-Colombian ingenuity in the fight against COVID-19
The story of the Afro-Colombian community has always been one of resilience. Historically, this group has faced the country’s highest rates of poverty and food insecurity, and has lacked access to many basic services.
Before and during COVID-19, an e-voucher initiative makes a difference for Kenyan farmers
Victoria Muteti, a 44-year old farmer living in Kenya’s Makueni County, has many reasons to be satisfied. In January 2020, she was able to harvest more than 2,500 kilograms of sorghum from her 2.5-acre farm – far more than the 1,000 kg she harvested in 2019.
Chef Bela Gil’s pesto-millet balls: A lockdown-friendly recipe
We’ve been asking our Recipes for Change chefs to tell us how they are adapting to life during the coronavirus pandemic – and to share a delicious recipe that can be made with basic cupboard ingredients.
Empowering and protecting rural women in the time of coronavirus
The April morning sun beats down on Kontagora, a lively market town in central Nigeria. Generators hum as milling machines husk the brown bran from rice grains, revealing glistening white kernels. COVID-19 is on everybody’s mind. But the thriving Tudun Wada South Rice Processors women’s cooperative is open for business.
Recipes for Change: Chef Lance Seeto’s homemade chicken, ginger and greens soup
IFAD’s Recipes for Change chefs are adjusting to life in a world contending with COVID-19 – and as a part of that, they’re sharing some excellent recipes that you can make with ingredients you’ve already got in your home cupboard.
#IFADatwork: our mission in the time of COVID-19
This interactive map shows how our colleagues, beneficiaries, and partners have continued working, while taking steps to stay safe.
IFAD-funded water system helps Kenyan students stay safe
Last month, we brought you the story of the Mukurwe-ini Technical Training Institute, a school in Kenya’s Nyeri county whose new roof water harvesting system was improving the lives of the students, staff and nearby residents. In recent days, with Kenya now affected by COVID-19, we reached out to Patrick Muchemi, principal of the Institute.