Investing in rural people in China

In 1981, IFAD became one of the first international donors to finance operations in China. To date, IFAD is the only one of China’s development partners dedicated exclusively to reducing poverty and increasing food and nutrition security in rural areas.

IFAD’s early support was geared toward increasing food security, with interventions that increased production, built assets and improved infrastructure. Over time, IFAD’s support has progressively shifted towards enhancing income opportunities and increasing resilience, with an emphasis on improving rural people’s access to markets, strengthening value chains and promoting more inclusive financial services.

The new China country strategic opportunities programme (COSOP) covers the 2016–2020 period. It redefines IFAD’s engagement in China in light of the changing context and evolving nature of the cooperation between IFAD and China.

Its two main objectives are to:

• increase small-scale producers’ capacity and opportunities to access markets by supporting inclusive value chains, cooperatives and financial services
• strengthen environmental sustainability and climate resilience activities.

The new strategy emphasizes innovation, scaling up successful projects, and knowledge management to inform policy and support South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC). IFAD’s country programme in China will be implemented through loans, as well as through non-lending activities such as providing technical assistance and fostering a wide range of partnerships.