IFAD first worked in Seychelles in 1991, when it began financing the Employment Generation Project, which was completed six years later. More recently, stakeholders from Seychelles have participated in activities funded by an ongoing IFAD grant, which supports the Regional Initiative for Smallholder Agriculture Adaptation to Climate Change in the Indian Ocean Islands. This initiative is creating a regional knowledge-management platform on adaptation strategies for small-scale farmers. The platform actively disseminates information on conservation agriculture practices such as farming with low or zero tillage, as well as composting, integrating livestock and farming activities, and other environmentally sustainable measures.

IFAD is committed to maintaining and strengthening its presence in South Sudan, working with the government and other development partners. Agriculture is a crucial area for coordinated interventions, given its economic potential as an alternative to oil production, as a job creation vehicle for youth in a post-conflict environment, and its proven capacity to reduce poverty and increase food security.

Les peuples autochtones, dont la richesse culturelle ne date pas d’hier, considèrent que leur fonctionnement social, économique, environnemental et spirituel forme un tout. Ils apportent une contribution précieuse au patrimoine mondial grâce aux savoirs traditionnels qu’ils détiennent et à leur compréhension de la gestion des écosystèmes. Mais les peuples autochtones sont aussi parmi les groupes de population les plus vulnérables, les plus marginalisés et les plus désavantagés au monde. Nous devons faire en sorte que leur voix soit entendue, que leurs droits soient respectés et que leurs conditions de vie s’améliorent.

In parts of Kenya, local communities have been empowered to take control of their own development. The success of the project rests on community involvement and mobilization of local financial, natural and human resources.

Strong links to markets for poor rural producers are essential to increasing agricultural production, generating economic growth in rural areas and reducing hunger and poverty. Improving these links creates a virtuous circle by boosting productivity, increasing incomes and strengthening food security.

Agriculture is a thirsty business, with irrigation alone accounting for about 70 per cent of freshwater withdrawals. Meeting demand from a world population expected to top 9 billion people by 2050 will require a 10 per cent increase in water for agricultural use. Enormous efforts will be needed to reduce water demand and improve water use efficiency.

IFAD and UN-Habitat, through the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), have entered into a partnership to implement the „Land and Natural Resources Learning Initiative for Eastern and Southern Africa (TSLI-ESA)‟. The initiative aims to improve knowledge management strategies and approaches towards pro-poor and gender-sensitive land and natural resource tenure rights in selected East and Southern African countries.

IFAD and UN-Habitat, through the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), have entered into a partnership to implement the ‘Land and Natural Resources Learning Initiative for Eastern and Southern Africa (TSLI-ESA)’. The initiative aims to improve knowledge management strategies and approaches towards pro-poor and gender-sensitive land and natural resource tenure rights in selected East and Southern African countries.

IFAD and UN-Habitat, through the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), have entered into a partnership to implement the „Land and Natural Resources Learning Initiative for Eastern and Southern Africa (TSLI-ESA)‟. The initiative aims to improve knowledge management strategies and approaches towards pro-poor and gender-sensitive land and natural resource tenure rights in selected East and Southern African countries.

Rural people generally need both secure individual rights to farm plots and secure collective rights to common pool resources on which whole villages depend. IFAD-supported projects and programmes have supported the recognition and documenting of group rights, focusing on range/grazing lands, forests and artisanal fishing communities.

IFAD and UN-Habitat, through the Global Land Tool Network (GLTN), have entered into a partnership to implement the ‘Land and Natural Resources Learning Initiative for Eastern and Southern Africa (TSLI-ESA)’. The initiative aims to improve knowledge management strategies and approaches towards pro-poor and gender-sensitive land and natural resource tenure rights in selected East and Southern African countries

This report provides an overview of the achievements and learning from the Phase 1 of the Tenure Security Learning Initiative - East & Southern Africa (TSLI-ESA) Project. It also looks ahead to strategies for scaling up initiatives, and to the second phase of the TSLI-ESA project.

Participatory mapping uses a range of tools including data collection tools, such as mental mapping, ground mapping, participatory sketch mapping, transect mapping and participatory 3-dimensional modelling. Recently participatory mapping initiatives have begun to use more technically advanced geographic information technologies, including Global Positioning Systems (GPS), aerial photos and use of remote-sensing images, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other digital computer-based technologies. IFAD supported projects and programmes are increasingly making use of these technologies for mapping land and natural resource rights, use and management.

IFAD has supported rural poverty reduction and agricultural development initiatives in the Republic of Guatemala since 1986. During its first decade in the country, IFAD’s work was oriented towards supporting the government in consolidating the peace process and rebuilding the social fabric in zones that were affected by Guatemala’s 36-year armed conflict. It also focused on constructing an economic and institutional platform for the development of marginalized rural and indigenous communities. Over the years, IFAD operations have evolved from localized rural development.

En los últimos treinta años, el FIDA así como sucesivos gobiernos peruanos han desarrollado programas en la sierra, donde los niveles de pobreza son severos. Esto se construye sobre modelos de desarrollo comunal, lecciones aprendidas sistemáticamente y ampliando tanto las áreas cubiertas como el alcance de las intervenciones. Los proyectos FEAS, MARENASS, CORREDOR y SIERRA alcanzaron 120,000 hogares en más de 1,600 comunidades pobres en la sierra sur. Estos proyectos han sacado de la pobreza extrema al 30 por ciento de los hogares objetivos, y 35 por ciento salieron completamente de la pobreza. Estos proyectos secuenciales representan el sendero de un proceso de escalonamiento complejo, pero exitoso.

Au cours des cinq dernières années, le monde a été touché par une série de crises économiques, financières et alimentaires qui ont ralenti, et parfois contrarié, les efforts mondiaux pour réduire la pauvreté et la faim. Aujourd’hui, la volatilité des prix et les chocs climatiques – telle la sécheresse dévastatrice qui a récemment frappé la Corne de l’Afrique – continuent à compromettre gravement ces efforts. Dans ce contexte, promouvoir l’adaptation des moyens de subsistance ainsi que la sécurité alimentaire et nutritionnelle est devenu la priorité des programmes gouvernementaux. Pour être opérants, ces programmes doivent placer les petits exploitants agricoles au centre de l’action et leur faire jouer un rôle de premier plan dans les efforts d’investissement requis.

For over 30 years, IFAD has been strongly committed to rural poverty reduction in Uganda. Since 1982, the organization has contributed approximately US$300 million in highly concessional terms to finance 14 projects and programmes with the objective of empowering poor people in the country’s rural areas. It has also made six country grants totalling US$4.2 million. IFAD is currently providing financing and technical assistance for five ongoing projects and programmes.

À ce jour, le FIDA a financé neuf programmes et projets au Burundi pour un montant total de 141 millions de dollars. Cette expérience dans le pays confirme que, même dans l’adversité, des programmes et projets conçus sur la base de consultations adéquates avec les communautés rurales peuvent améliorer la sécurité alimentaire des ménages. Pendant les onze années qu’a duré le conflit armé dans le pays, le FIDA n’a jamais interrompu ses programmes et activités. En accomplissant son mandat en faveur du développement rural et agricole, l’organisation a permis de maintenir la cohésion sociale des communautés rurales qui ont été, directement ou indirectement, victimes de massacres et de combats. En restant dans le pays, malgré l’insécurité et les contraintes de l’embargo international à l’encontre du Burundi, le FIDA a également favorisé le maintien d’un sentiment de normalité parmi la population.

IFAD is currently one of the two largest donors supporting Yemen’s rural agricultural sector. IFAD has worked in Yemen since the Fund’s creation, and has acquired a wealth of experience and knowledge of the economy and society, and developed a wide network of partners in the country. IFAD’s goal in Yemen is to achieve improved, diversified and sustainable livelihoods for poor rural women, men and young people, especially those who depend on rainfed agriculture and livestock production systems in the poorest areas. IFAD has three main strategic objectives in Yemen: • empowering rural communities by strengthening partnerships with civil society organizations and using community-driven approaches so that poor rural people can manage local community development activities; • promoting sustainable rural financial services and pro-poor rural enterprises by developing savings and credit associations for disadvantaged groups in remote rural areas and developing rural enterprises that provide jobs for the unemployed, especially young people and women; • enhancing food security for poor households by restoring the productive agricultural base and improving productivity so that poor households can produce enough for household needs and a surplus that can be sold.

IFAD loans and grants have supported the government’s investments in poverty reduction programmes since 1979. Before 1998, when Hurricane Mitch devastated the country,IFAD was almost the only institution investing in rural development and poverty alleviation in Honduras. IFAD also designed one of the first projects to be implemented after the disastrous hurricane: the National Fund for Sustainable Rural Development Project (FONADERS).