February 2015: Smallholder farmers and rural people can play a critical role in achieving the post-2015 development agenda, according to a concept note by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). ‘Rural transformation: Key to sustainable development’ stresses the role of targeting rural areas and reducing rural-urban inequalities to achieve sustainable development and eradicate poverty and hunger.

IFAD prepared the concept note in preparation for its 38th session of the Governing Council, which will focus on rural transformation as a key to sustainable development.

Economic diversification, innovations in production, modern technology use and expanded access to modern supply chains are key features of rural transformation, according to the note. It explains that IFAD invests in four key areas to advance inclusive and sustainable rural transformation: promoting diversification and resilience; advancing gender equality and empowering women; building sustainable food systems; and enhancing rural-urban connectivity and linkages. The concept note argues for addressing unequal power relations, social exclusion and access to a range of productive assets as part of strategies to address persistent poverty.

The note also highlights entry points for scaling up best practices and increasing sustainability, including: public goods that increase connectivity between rural and urban areas; inclusive and fair tenure systems that facilitate access to forests, land, water and other productive assets; youth engagement in productive activities; and access to inclusive social protection systems, quality education and health systems and risk management mechanisms. The note underscores the role of decentralized, inclusive institutions and approaches, and increased investment in supporting these entry points and achieving sustainable, inclusive rural transformation.

The concept note also: argues for targeting women’s empowerment and strengthening traditional governance institutions to increase the role of indigenous peoples in natural resource decision-making; provides examples of IFAD-supported projects that illustrate modern, technologically advanced communities; and proposes a list of questions for consideration at IFAD’s 38th session. [IFAD Press Release] [Publication: Rural transformation: Key to sustainable development]