International Fund for Agricultural Development

Around 1.2 billion young people are expected to enter the job market over the next decade, at a time when agrifood systems already account for roughly 40% of global employment. This underscores a structural opportunity: targeted investment in agrifood systems can translate directly into job creation, particularly where constraints to market access, finance and private sector participation persist. As part of the #AgriConnect initiative led by the @WorldBankGroup, IFAD has committed to transform the lives of 70 million small-scale food producers, reinforcing the role of agrifood systems in generating jobs, incomes and more resilient rural economies. IFAD brings its expertise in working directly with rural communities – strengthening producer organizations and value chains at the first mile. With nearly 50 years of experience in the field, IFAD invests in green jobs, digital innovation, rural services and agri-enterprises to make agriculture more productive, profitable and attractive to the younger generation.

Macroeconomic stability is increasingly shaped by shocks that begin far from financial centers, including in rural areas, where a single health event can disrupt global supply chains and trigger trillions in economic losses. 60% of infectious diseases originate in animals, placing rural communities on the frontlines of global health risks. Yet a single outbreak, no matter how remote, can cascade through supply chains and result in trillions of dollars in lost GDP. IFAD’s experience shows that targeted rural investments can simultaneously strengthen health security and economic resilience. Since 2010, IFAD has invested over US$6 billion in more than 100 livestock projects, improving animal health, strengthening disease surveillance, and increasing smallholder incomes. The results are measurable: in #Kyrgyzstan, IFAD‑financed mobile veterinary services contributed to a decline in human brucellosis cases from 4,412 in 2011 to fewer than 500 in 2020. In #Tanzania, access to animal health services led to a 69% increase in livestock income, demonstrating how health and productivity gains go hand in hand. With its recent accreditation as an implementing entity of the Pandemic Fund, IFAD is scaling this work – bringing a #OneHealth approach that links human, animal, and ecosystem health directly to the rural systems where risks emerge. Keep reading at bit.ly/4tKb85z

Resilient water systems can act as catalysts of economic growth and resilience for small‑scale food producers operating at the #FirstMile of value chains. Swipe to learn more. #FinancingTheFirstMile #IFADImpact

How can Haiti’s rural economy move from vulnerability to long-term resilience? Samir Bejaoui, IFAD Country Director for #Haiti, explains how strategic IFAD-backed investments are driving an environmental, economic and social transformation in the country – strengthening food systems, increasing incomes and creating opportunities in Haiti’s most fragile contexts. IFAD’s long-term engagement in the country shows that, even in complex environments, targeted investments can generate measurable results. The I-EB project, backed by a US$26.6 million investment, has already benefited more than 23,000 people – a figure expected to quintuple by 2028. By investing in infrastructure and revitalizing sectors such as beekeeping and rice cultivation, the project aims to reduce poverty while building climate resilience in rural coastal communities. Keep reading at bit.ly/4eccwJm

How can producer organizations be effectively linked to private companies to deliver measurable returns at scale? IFAD-financed 4P interventions, Public-Private-Producer Partnerships, offer a proven answer. Unlike traditional public-private partnerships, the 4P model positions small-scale producers as active commercial partners, aligning public, private and producer incentives within a single investment structure designed to crowd in private capital, reduce risk and convert higher production into higher margins. The results across 58 IFAD-financed impact assessments are clear: projects with strong private sector engagement in value chains raised producer incomes by 64%, compared with 16% where no value chain development was present. The most successful value chain projects converted productivity into profitability through midstream investments in storage, processing and marketing, as well as market integration. Critically, the model also demonstrates a catalytic financing effect: for every dollar of IFAD funding, private partners have contributed significant equity or equipment, multiplying the impact of each dollar invested. For public and private partners alike, the 4P model offers a structured, evidence-based pathway to connect rural producers to markets, mobilize private capital and deliver growth at scale. Read more at bit.ly/4azClBc

📢 IFAD is #hiring! As a specialized International Financial Institution, IFAD invests in rural development to drive sustainable impact in rural communities worldwide. We are seeking an experienced professional to fill a leadership position: 🔹Lead Operational and Programme Delivery Risk Officer Provide technical support to senior management to ensure proper oversight and leadership of operational and programme delivery matters, as well as RMO inputs to the corporate agenda. The Lead Operational and Programme Delivery Risk Officer is accountable for IFAD's core values of integrity, transparency, value for money, competitiveness and equity. 👉 apply here bit.ly/4m7hl8J 🌐 Learn more about IFAD’s work at bit.ly/4dlNxDf #JoinIFAD #IFI #Careers

How can targeted investment unlock jobs for the next generation of rural entrepreneurs? In Cameroon, the AEP-Youth programme shows how targeted support can help rural young people build viable agropastoral enterprises. By combining access to finance, technical training, business incubation and market linkages, the programme reached more than 30,000 young people, supported over 3,000 new businesses and helped generate nearly 15,000 jobs. The results were measurable: livestock production increased by 152%, gross income by 151% and unprocessed livestock sales by 109% on average. Find more about AEP-Youth at bit.ly/4dqjeeE

Tracking remittance flows is essential for economic planning. Reliable data enables policymakers to base decisions on actual transactions rather than estimates, helping align resources and regulatory measures with real needs. For financial institutions, these insights also inform better services that reflect how people send and receive money – especially through digital and mobile channels, which now account for most transfers. In 2025, #Uganda received US$2.5 billion in remittances – a vital source of income for millions of families. Yet until now, data showing how that money moves, who it reaches and through which channel has been limited. To bridge this gap, IFAD and the Bank of Uganda (@BOU_Official) have launched a new remittance dashboard. Updated monthly, it provides data on transaction volumes and values, sending countries, transfer channels and the distribution of funds across districts. Continue reading at bit.ly/4valblY

In #Peru’s San Martín Region, COOPBAM – a cooperative of coffee and cocoa producers from Awajún Indigenous communities – shows how targeted finance can turn smallholder production into a bankable, export‑oriented business. Supported by the IFAD-financed Avanzar Rural Programme, the cooperative has upgraded collection, quality control and marketing systems to reach specialty and international markets. COOPBAM is one of many producer organizations that have invested in market-oriented business plans under Avanzar Rural, with nearly 14,000 members now linked to formal buyers and higher-value markets. Youth and women’s participation exceeded targets, and hundreds of organizations have improved branding, packaging and sanitary registration – concrete steps that reduce transaction costs and mitigate risk. Recently ranked IFAD’s best‑performing active project worldwide in 2024, Avanzar Rural demonstrates that a territorially anchored, cooperative‑centred model can deliver scalable, climate‑resilient rural growth – and provide a clear pipeline of investable rural enterprises for public and private capital. Learn more about Avanzar Rural at bit.ly/4v2voAH

The escalation of conflict in the Middle East and Gulf region is contributing to volatility in global food, energy and fertilizer markets, with implications for smallholder farmers and rural communities worldwide. Given the region’s role in energy supply, fertilizer production and key trade routes, disruptions are driving up input costs and increasing uncertainty at a critical point in the agricultural calendar, particularly in low-income and food-importing economies. Rural communities, with high reliance on agriculture, are especially exposed to these shocks. IFAD is closely monitoring the evolving situation and assessing impacts across its portfolio. IFAD’s financial model and focus on long-term development combines predictability of financing with agility in crisis. Country teams are activating a range of operational tools that help countries adapt quickly, particularly for projects in Africa, the Near East, South Asia and Asia‑Pacific. This capacity to respond in crisis was significantly strengthened through the Crisis Response Initiative, launched in response to the global impacts of the war in Ukraine. IFAD stands ready to protect rural livelihoods, stabilize food production and support recovery – ensuring that rural, smallholder farmers are not left to bear the brunt of global shocks. Find the media statement at bit.ly/4rWrvdK

What sectors are better placed to absorb Africa’s growing workforce? The continent has the youngest population in the world, with more than 60% of people under 25 and millions entering the job market every year. IFAD’s Agribusiness Hub Programme takes a multi-stakeholder approach to increasing rural youth employment. The programme's first phase has almost tripled its initial targets through smart investment in the agrifood sector, creating over 59,000 wage and self-employment opportunities across agribusiness value chains. Learn more about the Agribusiness Hub effect at bit.ly/4buD1a7

Young people hold invaluable potential to create lasting, positive change in their communities. Every year, millions of them enter the labour market across rural #Africa – yet too often, they find themselves in informal, low-paying jobs. Agriculture offers a powerful alternative. By engaging in agrifood value chains, rural youth can build sustainable, future-ready businesses that weave innovation and prosperity into their communities’ socio-economic fabric. Through IFAD’s Agribusiness Hubs – established across nine African countries – nearly 60,000 young rural people have accessed new job opportunities, strengthened their skills and advanced their careers, helping to revitalize local economies that feed the world. Supported by strong partners like @BMZ_Bund and the Visa Foundation, the Hubs invest not only in farm management and crop cultivation but also in essential soft skills such as business planning and leadership. By contributing to broader shifts in rural labour markets, the Hubs are catalysing systemic change and building the foundations for decent employment and growth in rural Africa. Read more at bit.ly/3PhU7AC

In #CaboVerde, IFAD investments enable entrepreneurs like Albertina to tackle #water scarcity, boost productivity and create jobs. Innovative solutions are turning subsistence farming into income-oriented production, doubling incomes and boosting sales. #WorldWaterDay

Less than 5% of Africa’s farmland is irrigated, leaving millions of rural entrepreneurs exposed to the risks of water scarcity. For nearly three-quarters of the world’s population, #water insecurity is a daily reality – and no sector feels it more than agriculture. Investing in sustainable irrigation can up to triple the productivity of rainfed small-scale farms, boosting incomes, creating jobs and strengthening rural economies. Ahead of #WorldWaterDay, discover what makes water a particularly high-impact investment for governments and donors seeking to support rural transformation. Read more at bit.ly/4rHeIMk

Around the world, nearly 65 M young people are unemployed, most of them living in rural areas. Through its Agribusiness Hubs Programme, IFAD invests in their potential – establishing over 8,000 youth-led agribusinesses and creating 59,000+ jobs across nine African countries.

#Norway and IFAD issued a joint statement today to underscore the urgency of sustained and well-targeted investment in agriculture, food systems and rural transformation. Rural communities are home to 80% of the world’s poorest people, and their development is a “strategic investment in stability and social cohesion,” as reaffirmed by @IFADPresident Alvaro Lario during a meeting in #Oslo with @AsmundAukrust, Norway’s Minister of International Development. The discussion took place as consultations for IFAD’s Fourteenth Replenishment of core resources (#IFAD14), which will finance IFAD's programme of work from 2028 to 2030, are ongoing. IFAD’s multiplier effect has turned every dollar received into around six dollars of high-impact investment at the first mile of food systems, mobilizing cofinancing from governments, development partners and the private sector. Read more at bit.ly/4cXIcBL #FinancingTheFirstMile | @NorwayMFA

From #Zimbabwe to #Benin, joint investments from #Norway and IFAD are supporting rural businesses’ productive capacity and helping to tackle malnutrition through nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Watch how we’re fostering healthier and more resilient rural communities. @noradno @EspenBarthEide @AsmundAukrust

#Norway is a long-standing partner and a key contributor to IFAD's core and supplementary resources, with key leadership particularly on prioritizing low-income and lower-middle-income countries and driving inclusive growth. Its Supplementary Fund grant, provided by the Government of Norway through @noradno and valued at NOK 60 million, added significant support to IFAD’s work on inclusive and sustainable, nutrition-sensitive agriculture. The grant has helped invest in nutrition-sensitive value chains, covering everything from production and post-harvest handling to processing and marketing, linking small-scale producers to markets while improving the availability and affordability of nutritious foods. At completion in late 2024, the grant had directly benefitted 263,835 project participants. On top of this, more than 50,000 students received nutrition education, improved school meals and hands-on gardening experience. Continue reading at bit.ly/4bnCkPO @EspenBarthEide @AsmundAukrust

Over nearly two decades, undernourishment in the #DominicanRepublic has plummeted from 21.3% to 3.6%, largely thanks to small producers who supply up to 80% of the country's food. IFAD Country Director Isabel de la Peña explains how IFAD’s work through rural investment plans are strengthening key value chains in the country, alongside initiatives that boost economic mobility for young rural people. Read the blog at bit.ly/3PakLva

Achieving lasting rural impact requires direct investment in small and medium-sized enterprises. This empowers the private sector to drive economic growth and transform rural lives. Accounting for over 90% of global agrifood activities, the private sector complements public investment with essential technology, market access and logistics that help small farms, rural entrepreneurs, and agri-food businesses thrive. IFAD partners across the entire agrifood ecosystem – from SMEs and local banks to multinational buyers – aligning market incentives with development goals to unlock co-investments that multiply impact. The evidence is clear: 58 impact assessments show projects with strong private sector engagement boosted rural incomes by 64% – nearly double the 33% gains from limited engagement. Discover IFAD's private sector approach to rural transformation at bit.ly/4sJ8GM3