21 February 2014
IFAD Highlights Food Security in Post-2015 Agenda
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Participants discussed how to achieve a sustainable, food-secure future for all at an event hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Italy, on 18 February 2014.

Panelists stressed the importance of investing in smallholder family farmers and empowering rural livelihoods to ensure global food security and nutrition.

IFAD18 February 2014: Participants discussed how to achieve a sustainable, food-secure future for all at an event hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome, Italy, on 18 February 2014. Panelists stressed the importance of investing in smallholder family farmers and empowering rural livelihoods to ensure global food security and nutrition.

The event on ‘Achieving a sustainable future for all: Rural transformation and the post-2015 agenda’ aimed to raise awareness about the post-2015 development agenda and the opportunities it presents to advance and implement a transformative agenda for smallholder family farmers. Participants focused on four thematic areas: leveraging the rural-urban nexus for development; an empowerment agenda for rural livelihoods; investing in smallholder family agriculture for global food security and nutrition; and promoting the resilience of poor rural households.

These topics also are the subject of four IFAD policy briefs launched at the event. Each brief identifies challenges, entry points and approaches for a policy agenda, as well as including proposed goals and targets for the post-2015 development agenda.

‘Leveraging the rural-urban nexus for development’ recommends that the post-2015 agenda include: disaggregated targets and indicators for access to basic services (education, sanitation, water) and social and economic inclusion (employment, gender equality, social protection); and rural targets or indicators on goals related to energy, infrastructure and migration.

‘An empowerment agenda for rural livelihoods’ recommends, inter alia: measuring progress through disaggregated statistics; adjusting targets to the realities of marginalized groups, particularly women and rural groups; strengthening national statistical capacities; and building capacity for marginalized groups to participate in discussions on the post-2015 agenda.

‘Investing in smallholder family agriculture for global food security and nutrition’ recommends, inter alia: focusing on agriculture and small family farms in a goal on food security and nutrition; addressing agriculture productivity, resilience and sustainability; and addressing investment and technology transfer, including through the global partnership for development.

‘Promoting the resilience of poor rural households’ highlights proposed targets on, inter alia: sustainable agriculture practices; ecosystems, species and genetic diversity; deforestation and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from agriculture; food waste; and water management.

The event took place ahead of the 37th Session of the IFAD Governing Council (GC), which convened from 19-20 February, under the theme ‘Investing in smallholder family farmers for the future we want,’ in conjunction with the International Year of Family Farming (IYFF). IFAD also hosted the Fifth Global Meeting of the Farmers’ Forum, ‘Partners for investing in smallholder farming, family agriculture and fisheries,’ on 17-18 February, which focused on poverty reduction and rural development. [IFAD Press Release] [Webcast] [IYFF Infographic] [GC Programme] [Leveraging the rural-urban nexus for development] [An empowerment agenda for rural livelihoods] [Investing in smallholder family agriculture for global food security and nutrition] [Promoting the resilience of poor rural households]

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