Canada and the International Fund for Agricultural Development
The International Fund for Agricultural Development's (IFAD) mission is to enable poor rural people to achieve food security and overcome poverty. A specialized agency of the United Nations and an international financial institution, IFAD finances innovative agricultural and rural development projects through low-interest loans and grants. These projects help the poor increase food production, raise incomes, and improve health and nutrition.
Canada is a founding member of IFAD and has a seat on its 18-member Executive Board.
Canada's support for the International Fund for Agricultural Development
In October 2009, Canada doubled its support to IFAD to $75 million over three years, as part of Canada's food security strategy. This contribution is an important component of the Prime Minister's announcement at the 2009 L'Aquila G-8 Summit to double Canada's investment in global food security. Canada's renewed commitment to IFAD for 2013-2015 remains at $75 million. Canada and IFAD are also working together to reduce the impact of climate change on smallholder farmers and to improve nutrition outcomes of the rural poor. To this end, Canada has contributed $19.9 million to IFAD's innovative multi-donor and $5 million to its Nutrition-Sensitive Agriculture and Rural Development initiative.
Achievements
Since 1978, IFAD has empowered around 430 million people to grow more food, better manage their land and other natural resources, learn new skills, start small businesses, build strong organizations and gain a voice in the decisions that affect their lives.
IFAD reported the following results in 2013, realized in part through support from Canada:
- Overall, 78.7 million people received services from IFAD-supported projects
- 7.94 million people accessed rural financial services
- 7.1 million people were trained in improved agricultural practices and technologies
- 1.5 million people were trained in in microenterprise development and entrepreneurship;
- 19,700 smallholder producer and marketing groups were formed or strengthened
- 3.5 million hectares of land were brought under improved natural resource management practices
- 15,300 km of rural roads were constructed or rehabilitated to improve access to markets
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