G20: IFAD chief Alvaro Lario visits India to advocate for small-scale farmers

Lario’s visit comes at a crucial time as global food security faces mounting challenges, exacerbated by the ongoing global food crisis. 

According to IFAD, Lario will share IFAD’s vision for development with G20 leaders and make the case for investing in rural communities as the most cost-effective way to improve global food security and support global stability.

During his stay in India, Lario will engage with key officials, including Finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar, to discuss IFAD’s vision for development and advocate for robust investments in rural communities. He will emphasize the cost-effectiveness of supporting rural populations as a means to enhance global food security and promote stability worldwide.

IFAD has a longstanding partnership with India, spanning over four decades. The country’s transformation from food aid dependency to a net food exporter serves as an example for other low- and middle-income nations. India’s leadership within the G20 presents a valuable opportunity to prioritize investments in small-scale farmers, enabling them to adapt to climate change, adopt innovative practices, and access essential markets, technologies, and financial services.

The collaboration between IFAD and India has already demonstrated the transformative impact of such investments on the lives of millions of rural individuals, particularly women, men, and children.

Recognizing IFAD’s pivotal role in ensuring global food security, G7 leaders have expressed their support for the Fund’s initiatives aimed at empowering small-scale farmers, strengthening local food production, developing markets, and reducing food loss. IFAD’s interventions between 2019 and 2021 have successfully increased the incomes of 77.4 million rural individuals and improved food security for 57 million people.

Small-scale farmers play a crucial role in global food production, accounting for at least one third of the world’s food output and up to 70 percent in low- and middle-income countries. Their well-being is intricately linked to global food security and overall stability, as hunger and poverty can contribute to forced migration and conflict. However, despite their significance, agricultural-focused official development aid (ODA) has remained stagnant at 4 to 6 percent of total ODA for the past two decades. Furthermore, small-scale farmers receive less than 2 percent of global climate finance.

Updated: 13 Jun 2023, 08:47 PM IST