AFRICA: FAO, IFAD and IDB to cooperate on food security

It is a tripartite agreement which bodes well for a better future for agricultural productivity in Africa. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) are committed to “empowering rural smallholders by providing them with accessible, affordable and adaptable technologies”.

Together, the three organizations want to accelerate the implementation of the second Sustainable Development Goal (SDG2) of the United Nations, which aims to guarantee food security for all populations. The initiative will be carried out mainly in rural areas where agricultural practices are hampered by a lack of equipment and information systems adapted to different food crops.

Thus, the technological support envisaged by the IDB, the FAO and the IFAD should make it possible to provide agropastoral communities with technical advice and digital solutions to prevent climatic hazards (floods and droughts) but also to increase their online income. “This partnership will play a central role in our Food Security Response Program ( FSRP ) and related ongoing initiatives towards the sustainability of value chains in various regions ,” explains Mansur Muhtar, vice president of IDB operations.

A vision shared by Thouraya Triki. For the director of the Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division of IFAD, it is ultimately a question of “supporting the development of agriculture with low carbon dioxide (CO ₂ ) emissions by improving the resilience of actors” , as well as by promoting new professions that combine soil and technology. In this regard, the African Development Bank (AfDB) is organizing training on digital climate advisory services (DCAS) on September 27 and 28. The program initiated in partnership with the Global Center for Adaptation (GCA) is held online from Johannesburg, South Africa.