International Fund for Agricultural Development

At #COP31, IFAD will highlight its work to advance climate adaptation and strengthen resilience in the face of growing climate and economic challenges.

Through new partnerships, investments and knowledge products, we will showcase approaches to mobilizing finance, supporting rural communities and promoting more resilient food systems.

Together with partners, IFAD will also contribute new insights on the economic impacts of climate shocks, the importance of long-term resilience in rural areas, and the need for greater investment in rural women.

In addition, IFAD will convene discussions on the role of partnerships in building resilient food systems in a changing climate.

Learn more about IFAD at COP31 at ifad.org/en/w/events/if…

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Ahead of #COP31, IFAD looks at how investing in resilient rural economies can strengthen climate adaptation, protect development gains and sustain economic opportunities in the face of climate shocks, rising input costs and market volatility.

IFAD invests in the environmental and social resilience of rural systems, expanding access to finance, markets, infrastructure and inputs that support productivity, income growth and rural people’s capacity to withstand climate shocks.

More than half of IFAD project participants live in fragile or conflict-affected situations or areas exposed to climate extremes. According to recent impact assessments, IFAD-supported investments in these contexts have delivered average income and production gains of around 30%.

These findings underscore why investing in rural resilience before climate shocks occur is essential to COP31’s agenda: it addresses immediate vulnerabilities while protecting the foundations of long-term development.

Read more about IFAD at COP31 at ifad.org/en/w/events/if…

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Globally, every dollar invested in improving nutrition is estimated to generate US$23 in economic returns. The cost of inaction could reach US$41 trillion over the next decade.

Like other small island developing states (SIDS), São Tomé and Príncipe remains heavily dependent on imported foods, exposing it to external shocks and limiting opportunities for rural producers. Strengthening local food production and value chains, alongside targeted nutrition interventions, can help address these challenges.

The IFAD-supported Commercialization, Agricultural Productivity and Nutrition Project (COMPRAN) demonstrates the value of nutrition-sensitive investments.

By pairing support for local production with greater nutrition knowledge, the project helped translate increased food availability into healthier diets. COMPRAN-supported small-scale poultry farmers now supply eggs to schools through the National School Feeding Programme, improving access to nutritious local foods while creating reliable demand for rural producers.

COMPRAN highlights how integrating nutrition into agricultural investments can improve diets, strengthen local markets and support long-term economic and social resilience.

Read more at ifad.org/en/w/rural-voi…

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The Government of #Egypt and IFAD signed two agreements yesterday to help small-scale farmers improve water management, increase their incomes and adapt to climate change, while strengthening Egypt’s role in sharing agricultural expertise across Africa and the Middle East.

The agreements cover the Climate-Resilient On-Farm Water Management in the Nile Valley (CROWN) project, supported by US$64.85 million in IFAD financing, and the Positioning Egypt for Agricultural Resilience and Leadership (PEARL) project, backed by a US$470,000 grant.

By combining modern irrigation and drainage infrastructure with climate-smart farming, stronger farmers’ organizations and improved access to markets and finance, CROWN will support around 90,000 rural households and improve water management across 12,600 hectares.

PEARL complements these investments by strengthening Egypt’s capacity for agricultural innovation and South–South and Triangular Cooperation.

The project is expected to benefit 2,000 people. Through regional knowledge exchange and policy dialogue, it will enable Egypt to share its expertise while adapting relevant experiences from other countries in Africa and the Middle East.

Read more at ifad.org/en/w/news/egyp…

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In #Madagascar, where 39% of the population was below 15 years of age in 2024, expanding employment and livelihood opportunities for young people is central to fostering rural growth and stability.

Through its partnership with IFAD, Madagascar is investing in the skills, enterprises and market opportunities that can help young rural people build productive livelihoods and contribute to stronger local economies.

IFAD’s Vocational Training and Agricultural Productivity Improvement Programme (FORMAPROD) provides evidence of how integrated, context-specific investments can deliver measurable results.

Between 2012 and 2023, the programme supported young people through:

🔹Agricultural training tailored to participants’ education levels
🔹Hands-on learning and follow-up support
🔹Business planning and complementary entrepreneurial skills
🔹Improved access to productive inputs, finance and markets

The results demonstrate the value of this integrated approach:

✅Crop income increased by 80%
✅The value of livestock production rose by 138%
✅In households where young people were engaged in livestock activities, incomes increased by 221% and productivity by 191%

By combining skills development with access to finance, inputs and markets, FORMAPROD shows how investment in rural youth can translate into higher incomes, stronger productivity and more resilient rural economies.

Read more about IFAD’s integrated strategy for investing in rural youth at ifad.org/en/w/explainer…

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