International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Small and medium-sized enterprises are essential to the first mile of food systems, connecting farmers to markets through production, processing, distribution and trade. Yet many struggle to access the finance needed to grow. IFAD works to close this financing gap, using investment to strengthen rural businesses, increase productivity and build resilience while creating opportunities for private capital to participate in underserved markets. In #Uganda, IFAD-supported the Yield Uganda Investment Fund that brings together public and private investors to provide tailored finance to agricultural SMEs. Among them, Kamp Feed Limited received US$2.6 million in equity and loans to build a new factory, including two silos with capacity for up to 3,500 tons of grain. Because the company sources from small scale farmers, the investment creates benefits beyond the business itself, giving suppliers a stronger market for their produce and helping them increase their incomes and invest in their farms. In #CaboVerde, investment through the IFAD-funded Rural Socio Economic Opportunities Programme helped the “Força de Vontade” farm expand production, acquire a vehicle and reach supermarkets, hotels and customers directly. Hydroponic technology also reduced water use by 50%, strengthening the business against drought. Today, the farm spans nearly 1,000 square metres and employs 10 people, demonstrating how targeted finance can help rural SMEs grow while generating wider economic opportunities for their communities. Read more at https://lnkd.in/dkCBwv5F #FinancingTheFirstMile

Remittances are one of the world’s most resilient sources of household finance, supporting more than 1.1 billion people. The 2026 #SendingMoneyHome report, released today by the IFAD-administered Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR), examines how these flows changed over the past decade and explores the impact of migrant workers’ remittances on families, communities and development in low- and middle-income countries. Key findings show that: 🔹Remittance flows nearly doubled: Asia still receives half, Latin America grew fastest and flows to Africa nearly doubled. 🔹Around 220 million migrant workers send money home worldwide and by 2030, migrants and diaspora are expected to send more than US$3.6 trillion cumulatively to their home countries. 🔹About 1/3 of these remittances go to rural areas, where they can also open pathways to savings, insurance and investment in enterprises and other livelihood opportunities. The report’s findings and recommendations provide a practical basis for action by both the public and private sectors. Download the 2026 Sending Money Home report at https://ow.ly/pXma50ZNo3v #FinancingTheFirstMile | Financing Facility for Remittances

Remittance inflows to low- and middle-income countries reached US$728.6 billion in 2025 – more than four times global official development assistance that year and greater than foreign direct investment to those countries, according to the 2026 Sending Money Home report launched today by IFAD. According to the report, remittances have remained one of the world's largest and most consistent sources of household finance over the past decade, helping families meet basic needs, build resilience and invest in their futures, even in times of crisis. “As remittances help families meet their basic needs, they are also building financial growth and resilience to shocks,” said Dr. Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD. “Their potential benefits are greatest when families have access to affordable and trusted financial services, together with the knowledge, freedom and appropriate options to use their resources according to their own needs and aspirations,” added Lario. The findings highlight opportunities for policymakers to strengthen the impact of remittances on resilience, financial inclusion and economic opportunity while recognizing that these private flows cannot replace public investment, social protection or climate finance. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eBgifX3J #FinancingTheFirstMile #SendingMoneyHome | Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR)

On #SouthSouthCooperation Day, explore how IFAD investments help unlock greater impact at scale by fostering collaboration and mobilizing knowledge, resources and partnerships among low- and middle-income countries facing shared challenges. Why does South-South and Triangular Cooperation matter? Through the support of multilateral institutions and development partners, South-South and Triangular Cooperation (#SSTC) facilitates knowledge exchange and the transfer of technologies, expertise and resources. IFAD uses its investments and financing to enable these exchanges, strengthen country capacities and support the adaptation of solutions to local contexts. How can investment drive transformation? Strategic investment can deliver tailored, cost-effective solutions while creating mutually beneficial partnerships that strengthen rural economies and communities. SSTC also helps countries finance responses to complex challenges such as climate shocks, food insecurity and economic inequality. IFAD works to ensure these investments are country-led, demand-driven and focused on measurable impact on the ground. What is the opportunity moving forward? The opportunity is to move beyond sharing solutions and invest in scaling them up by mobilizing capital, leveraging partnerships and deploying resources more strategically to transform rural economies and build more resilient communities. By investing in South-South and Triangular Cooperation, we can turn knowledge into action, partnerships into financing opportunities and proven solutions into scalable impact. Read more about SSTC at https://lnkd.in/eB9a9rum #FinancingTheFirstMile

Last week at #AFSForum2026, the IFAD delegation, led by Vice-President Gérardine Mukeshimana, PhD, reaffirmed the importance of investing in ecosystems that make food production more profitable and resilient – catalyzing partnerships that connect producers to markets and drive rural transformation where returns are greatest.   Read our latest newsletter to learn more.   #FinancingtheFirstMile #IFAD14

Dr. Alvaro Lario works to help farmers thrive all over the world.  Growing up in Spain in a family of farmers, his family sold fruits in local rural villages. Now as President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) he is unlocking opportunities for small scale farmers and rural entrepreneurs around the world. “All of these people are extremely entrepreneurial. They're extremely creative. They have a lot of willingness and energy. Many times it's just the lack of opportunity or the lack of means, and I think that's what makes this job or this role very rewarding.” On Awake At Night, Alvaro reflects on attracting private sector investment for those projects, on what indigenous groups can teach others about resilience to global shocks, and shares how building one new road can transform thousands of lives. https://lnkd.in/dN43qA_i

From #Rwanda to #France, stronger agricultural value chains are creating jobs, expanding market access and generating new income opportunities for rural communities. Through IFAD-financed investments and collaboration with the Government of Rwanda and private sector partners, producers were able to strengthen productivity and secure long-term agreements with international buyers such as Pépite by Agro Sourcing. The result: stronger value chains, greater resilience to global shocks and a 26% increase in incomes. This is the impact of #FinancingTheFirstMile of food systems – combining public finance, private sector engagement and local organizations to create long-term economic opportunities for rural communities. #IFAD14 | Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires étrangères | Ministère de l’Économie, des Finances et de la Souveraineté industrielle et numérique | Ministry of Agriculture & Animal Resources

The population of the #Sahel is projected to exceed 500 million by 2050, making it one of the world's fastest-growing regions. This presents significant opportunities for long-term economic growth – particularly in rural areas, where more than two-thirds of the population lives. Yet unlocking this potential requires overcoming persistent challenges such as ongoing insecurity, population displacement and restricted access to productive assets, all of which continue to limit economic opportunities in rural communities. Designed, implemented and financed as a three-way collaboration between IFAD, FAO and the World Food Programme the Joint Programme for the Sahel in Response to the Challenges of COVID-19, Conflict and Climate Change (SD3C) aims to build resilience and strengthen the livelihoods of an estimated 854,750 people across the region. With support from the programme, a women’s cooperative in Burkina Faso managed to transform a small-scale peanut processing activity into a fast-growing enterprise with a vision for long-term sustainability. As a result, the cooperative increased its profits nearly tenfold. A success driven not only by higher production volumes but by greater value addition.The cooperative converts non-standard peanuts into peanut butter – the revenue from which has more than doubled. Read more about how SD3C is creating economic opportunity across the Sahel at https://lnkd.in/efhGXRxv #FinancingTheFirstMile

At #AFSForum2026, IFAD and The World Bank Group co-hosted the AgriConnect: The Road to 300 Million event. Launched in October 2025, #AgriConnect aims to connect 300 million family and smallholder farmers globally to markets, finance and agricultural services by 2030. One year on, Africa is already playing a leading role. Half of the first 10 AgriConnect country compacts were launched in Africa, and IFAD and the World Bank Group have together reached at least 10 million farmers through targeted investments. In Kigali this week, partners looked at what is working, what we are learning and what needs to happen next. Reaching 300 million farmers will require better connected investments, fewer barriers for farmers and rural businesses, and more practical ways for the private sector to participate. It also means designing investments with scale in mind from the start. AgriConnect is focusing on six areas where there is strong potential to scale up results, including AgTech, innovative finance, farmer cooperatives, infrastructure, policy reform, and skills, extension and research. The next phase will be about turning ambition into coordinated delivery and bringing more partners to the table, including investors, MDBs and other institutions ready to commit resources. Read more at https://lnkd.in/eqd64yqK #FinancingTheFirstMile | #IFAD14 | AFS Forum