ECOWAS Heads of State Summit: FAO and ECOWAS promote initiative toward achieving Zero Hunger Challenge

Agricultural growth and transformation must fully benefit and empower women

Bukar Tijani, FAO Assistant Director-General

16 December 2016, Accra - FAO and ECOWAS have demonstrated strong commitment towards meeting the Zero Hunger Challenge in the West Africa region by implementing a joint project on gender-responsive regional and National Agricultural Investment Plans (NAIPs) for meeting the Zero Hunger Challenge in the ECOWAS region. 

The project responds in concrete terms to women’s constraints, needs and priorities in agricultural production, value chain development, food security and nutrition.

IFAD to showcase the importance of investing in rural people at the G20 Agricultural Ministers Meeting

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will join the world’s leaders of agriculture today in Istanbul, Turkey at the meeting of the G20 Agriculture Ministers to advocate on behalf of the 76 per cent of the world poorest people who reside in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.

Josefina Stubbs, Associate Vice-President of IFAD, who will represent the Fund at the meeting, will take critical messages to the ministers about the importance of investing in rural people in developing countries.

“IFAD believes it is essential to bring millions of smallholder farmers and small-scale entrepreneurs, women and men, into the financial mainstream, if we want them to become capable investors who can drive sustainable and inclusive agriculture and food systems,” Stubbs said prior to her departure. “IFAD is proud to be on the frontline of this area, through our support to rural finance institutions across the developing world.”