# International Fund for Agricultural Development

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is an international financial institution and a specialised agency of the United Nations that works to address poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries. It is the only multilateral development organization that focuses solely on rural economies and food security.
IFAD is involved in over 200 projects across nearly 100 countries. It funds and sponsors initiatives that improve land and water management, develop rural infrastructure, train and educate farmers in more efficient technologies, build up resilience against climate change, enhancing market accessibility, and more.
IFAD has 180 member states with the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). As of 2021, since its foundation, IFAD has provided US$23.2 billion in loans and grants and coordinated an addition US$31 billion in international and domestic co-financing.

## History

In the early 1970s, global food shortages led to widespread famine, malnutrition, and mortality, particularly affecting the Sahel region of Africa. The world required long-term, coordinated approaches to the structural issues that were causing destitution and food shortages. IFAD was established as an international financial institution in 1977 through United Nations General Assembly Resolution 32/107 (15 December 1977) as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference. The conference highlighted the vital importance of addressing food insecurity and poverty in emerging countries' rural communities. IFAD officially opened its headquarters in Rome, Italy and convened its first governing council with 120 member states and it is a member of the United Nations Development Group.

## Vision

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) envisions rural communities that are inclusive, prosperous, and resilient, free from poverty and hunger. Acknowledging that agriculture is the primary livelihood for millions of rural people, IFAD addresses the challenges these communities face, such as climate adaptation, economic instability, and food insecurity.
Through strategic partnerships and financing, IFAD supports initiatives that enable rural populations to enhance productivity, access resources, and build resilience. Its vision includes fostering innovation and advancing policies that promote equity, with a focus on empowering groups often overlooked, such as women, Indigenous Peoples, and youth.

## Structure

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) relies on three key entities for governance: the governing council, the executive board, and the president.

### Governing Council

The IFAD is governed by its primary decision-making body, the Governing Council, which holds full powers to make decisions. This council is composed of representatives from all IFAD Member States and gathers on an annual basis. It is attended by official delegates such as Governors, Alternate Governors, and other appointed advisors. Observers, including representatives from non-member states seeking membership, the Holy See, the Sovereign Order of Malta, and approved UN agencies, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, are also invited to attend.
The Governing Council has full authority over the fund's operations and makes decisions on important matters such as the approval of new members, the election of the President, issues concerning the permanent seat, the administrative budget, and the establishment of policies, criteria, and regulations.
Sessions of the Governing Council are led by the Chairperson of the Bureau, which is made up of one Chairperson and two Vice-chairpersons, all elected from among the Governors of member states for a two-year period. The President also participates in Governing Council meetings without voting rights.

### Executive Board

The general operations of the fund are managed by the Executive Board, which exercises authority either directly provided by Agreement of Establishing the IFAD or delegated by the Governing Council. The Board is made up of 18 members and as many as 18 alternate members, all elected from the fund's members at the annual session of the Governing Council. Each member serves a three-year term within allocated Lists and Sub-Lists. The fund's president chairs the executive board, attending its meetings without voting privileges.

#### Current framework of the Executive Board

Source:
IFAD List A :
| Member | Alternate member |
| Italy | Austria |
| France | Belgium |
| Japan | Denmark |
| Canada | Finland |
| United States | Spain |
| Norway | Sweden |
| Germany | Switzerland |
| Netherlands | United Kingdom |
IFAD List B :
| Member | Alternate member |
| Venezuela | Algeria |
| Saudi Arabia | Indonesia |
| Nigeria | Qatar |
| Kuwait | United Arab Emirates |
IFAD List C1 :
| Member | Alternate member |
| Egypt | Angola |
| Cameroon | Tanzania |
IFAD List C2 :
| Member | Alternate member |
| China | Pakistan |
| India | South Korea |
IFAD List C3 :
| Member | Alternate member |
| Brazil | Argentina |
| Mexico | Peru |

### President

The President of the IFAD is appointed by the Governing Council with a two-thirds majority vote and serves a term of four years, renewable once. Under exceptional circumstances, the term may be extended by up to six months on the recommendation of the executive board. The president oversees the fund's operations, including organizing the staff and managing appointments and dismissals, following regulations set by the executive board.
The President may appoint a Vice-president to assist with assigned responsibilities and serves as the fund's legal representative. The current President of the IFAD is Alvaro Lario from Spain, who took over from Gilbert Houngbo in late 2022. His term of office began on 1 October 2022, and will run until 31 March 2027. As 2024, Álvaro Lario, who serves as the President of IFAD, took on the additional role of Chair of UN-Water, the United Nations Inter-Agency Mechanism on All Freshwater Related Issues, Including Sanitation.
List of Presidents of the International Fund for Agricultural Development :
| No. | Name | Country of origin | Took office | Left office |
| 1. | Abdelmuhsin M. Al-Sudeary | Saudi Arabia | 1977 | 1984 |
| 2. | Idriss Jazairy | Algeria | 1984 | 1993 |
| 3. | Fawzi Al-Sultan | Kuwait | 1993 | 2001 |
| 4. | Lennart Båge | Sweden | 2001 | 2009 |
| 5. | Kanayo F. Nwanze | Nigeria | 2009 | 2017 |
| 6. | Gilbert Houngbo | Togo | 2017 | 2022 |
| 7. | Alvaro Lario | Spain | 2022 | Incumbent |

## Membership

"Membership of the Fund shall be open to any State member of the United Nations, or of any of its specialized agencies, or of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Membership shall also be open to any groupings of States whose members have delegated to it powers in fields falling within the competence of the fund, and which is able to fulfil all the obligations of a Member of the Fund" (Art. 3, sec. 1 of the Agreement Establishing IFAD).
IFAD currently has 180 member states, categorized into three main groups that reflect the economic diversity and development priorities of its members.
List A includes high-income countries that contribute significantly to IFAD's financial resources. These nations have declared themselves ineligible for IFAD financing and do not qualify for Official Development Assistance (ODA) as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Their role is crucial in providing funding for global agricultural development initiatives.
List B includes member states from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) that also contribute to IFAD's resources. This category comprises oil-rich countries that may be eligible for particular agricultural development initiatives, demonstrating development aid.
List C includes developing nations eligible for IFAD money and services, many of which also contribute to the organization's resources. This list is divided into three regional sub-lists: C1 (countries in Africa), C2 (countries in Europe, Asia, and the Pacific) and C3 (countries in Latin America and Caribbean).

### List A – 28 member states

* Austria
* Belgium
* Canada
* Cyprus
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Greece
* Hungary
* Iceland
* Ireland
* Israel
* Italy
* Japan
* Luxembourg
* Netherlands
* New Zealand
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Russia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* United Kingdom
* United States

### List B – 12 member states

* Algeria
* Gabon
* Indonesia
* Iran
* Iraq
* Kuwait
* Libya
* Nigeria
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* United Arab Emirates
* Venezuela

### Sublist C1 – 50 member states

* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cape Verde
* Cameroon
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* Congo
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gambia
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Togo
* Tanzania
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

### Sublist C2 – 57 member states

* Afghanistan
* Albania
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Cambodia
* China
* Cook Islands
* Croatia
* East Timor
* Fiji
* Georgia
* India
* Jordan
* Kazakhstan
* Kiribati
* Kyrgyzstan
* Laos
* Lebanon
* Malaysia
* Maldives
* Malta
* Marshall Islands
* Micronesia
* Moldova
* Mongolia
* Montenegro
* Myanmar
* Nauru
* Nepal
* Niue
* North Korea
* North Macedonia
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Palau
* Papua New Guinea
* Philippines
* Romania
* Samoa
* Serbia
* Solomon Islands
* South Korea
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Tonga
* Turkey
* Tuvalu
* Ukraine
* Uzbekistan
* Vanuatu
* Vietnam
* Yemen

### Sublist C3 – 32 member states

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
* Bahamas
* Barbados
* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Chile
* Colombia
* Costa Rica
* Cuba
* Dominica
* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Grenada
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Panama
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Saint Lucia
* Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* Uruguay

### IFAD Member States with List Membership Process Ongoing

* Lithuania