Sharing a vision of how to achieve a world without hunger and poverty, the United States and IFAD have been working together since IFAD’s inception 40 years ago.

Consistent with its longstanding leadership role, the United States holds the largest voting share among IFAD Member States, with 7 per cent. Its US$90 million pledge to the Tenth Replenishment of IFAD’s resources (2016-2018) represents 8.7 per cent of the total. The United States has been instrumental in promoting institutional reform within IFAD, leading to more effective and efficient programmes and enhanced results while reducing costs and maintaining quality.

The United States’ recent global hunger and food security initiatives and the approach embodied in the Global Food Security Act of 2016, closely mirror the Fund’s mandate and strategic priorities. Both the United States and IFAD position the world’s smallholder farmers at the centre, recognizing that with the right investments, policies and programmes, smallholders have enormous potential to contribute to greater global food security and to reduce poverty. Both also see equal opportunities for rural women and girls as key to success, together with the need to protect natural resources and ensure environmental sustainability. 

IFAD has a key role to play in ending hunger and poverty by 2030 because it works in rural areas, where 80 per cent of the world’s poorest people live. IFAD is people-centred: project participants take part in design and implementation and contribute to project costs. The Fund has 40 country offices across the developing world and is headquartered in Rome, Italy, the United Nations’ food and agriculture hub.