Climate change and agriculture top the agenda : 22-23 February 2012, Bill Gates and Rwanda’s Paul Kagame to attend IFAD’s annual meeting

(07/02/2012)

The annual Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) will feature international personalities who will address climate change issues affecting the agricultural sector – more storms, droughts and rising sea levels.At the very intersection of these challenges are smallholder farmers in developing countries.
Why should we focus on them?
How can smallholders make a difference?
How can they help lead the way to climate-smart and more productive agriculture?

Taking place ahead of Rio+20, the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, slated for Brazil later this year, where climate-smart agriculture will be a major focus, discussions at the Council will highlight how food security and climate change are inextricably linked.

Speakers at the IFAD Governing Council include:

Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda
Andrea Riccardi, Minister of International Cooperation and Integration Policies, Republic of Italy
Akin Adesina, Minister of Agriculture, Federal Republic of Nigeria

Bill Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, will share his perspective on the importance of agriculture and how sustainable productivity improvements can reduce poverty in developing countries. He will challenge both global players and national governments to adopt a new approach to supporting small farmers.

The President of Rwanda and IFAD President will address a joint press conference on 22 February at 12:15 p.m. to explore the urgent need to enhance smallholder farmers’ resilience to climate change.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) works with poor rural people to enable them to grow and sell more food, increase their incomes and determine the direction of their own lives. Since 1978, IFAD has invested about US$13.7 billion in grants and low-interest loans to developing countries through projects empowering about 405 million people to break out of poverty, thereby helping to create vibrant rural communities. IFAD is an international financial institution and a specialized UN agency based in Rome – the United Nation’s food and agricultural hub. It is a unique partnership of 167 members from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), other developing countries and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

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