Abidjan, The Ivorian Minister of Economy and Finance, Adama Coulibaly, on Thursday, November 17, 2022, hailed the “decisive” contribution of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) which promotes the increased production and improved incomes of smallholder farmers.

Mr. Coulibaly expressed his thanks to IFAD during the second day of the West and Central Africa regional forum, held in Grand Bassam.

“To date, IFAD’s portfolio for the West and Central Africa region covers a total of 55 programs and projects implemented in 23 countries, for a total amount estimated at four billion US dollars of direct financing from the said fund. “, he added, specifying that “these programs have benefited more than 11 million people, 47% of whom are women”.

With regard to Côte d’Ivoire, Minister Adama Coulibaly noted that IFAD has been involved in the country since 1984, through 12,222 rural development programs and projects, for a total amount of 436 million US dollars, of which 254 million from its own resources.

According to the Minister, these investments, which benefit nearly 640,000 households, focus mainly on improving the productivity of the main food products such as rice, corn, vegetables, fish, and developing production systems that are resilient to climate variations. “The Ivorian Government is therefore sensitive to these IFAD interventions, based on a rural development approach capable of promoting ‘growth from the bottom’, in favor of small producers in the rural non-farm economy”, said declared Minister Adama Coulibaly.

“IFAD, for nearly 40 years, has been involved in increasing production and improving the incomes of smallholder farmers in the region, through the implementation of training programs, while supporting initiatives related to the entrepreneurship and financial inclusion, as well as the promotion of sustainable production systems”, welcomed the Ivorian Minister of Economy and Finance.

Organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), this forum has been bringing together since Thursday, November 17, 2022, political decision-makers, development professionals, rural producers and farmers’ organizations, to reflect on how to strengthen partnerships between these different stakeholders, with a view to working towards the sustainable transformation of food systems and ensuring food security.

Source: Agence Ivoirienne De Presse