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If you live in a rural area, even a simple trip to the hairdresser can be difficult. In Suden, a village located in the mountainous areas of Tunisia’s Kairouan region, locals must take a shared taxi and drive 35km just to get a haircut. That was until IFAD stepped in, together with the Tunisian government and the Adaptation fund, to support Dhaker, a 21-year-old who had just graduated but was stuck in precarious jobs. He has now opened his own barber shop and not only can he make a living in his hometown, but he is also providing a precious service to the villagers.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development () is an international financial institution and a specialized agency of the UN dedicated to eradicating poverty and hunger in rural areas of developing countries.

Indigenous Peoples are essential to protecting and restoring the world's ecosystems and natural environment, that's why they need to be at the heart of planning and implementation of projects that affect them.

Young rural people are bringing agriculture into the digital age. Meet who’ve cracked the code: how to irrigate crops while saving both time and water.

Farmer Tawfik's olive trees thrive thanks to a 100% natural compost created from Aleppo pine cones, supported by IFAD and the Tunisian government.

Hunger is not driven by a lack of food or an inability to grow it. Instead, it is primarily caused by conflict, climate change and economic fluctuations. For the 733 million people who were hungry in 2023, this truth must be hard to accept. The latest states that we have the means to end hunger and malnutrition by 2030 – but we are missing the money and the political will to do so.  The world needs increased and more cost-effective financing. But there are already financing solutions that could be rolled out on a larger scale for greater impact, posits .

As the sun rises over Pemba Island in Tanzania, Shajia and other seaweed farmers head towards the water to harvest their seaweed at low tide. When Shajia first started farming seaweed in 1995, she did it largely along the shore. In the decades since, conditions have changed. “Due to the high temperatures caused by climate change, the seaweed was not doing well on the shores,” she explains. “We were forced to go deeper into the ocean.” The -supported  is helping Shajia adapt to the new normal. As well as receiving equipment, she’s learned how to grow seaweed along ropes. This ensures a plentiful harvest that is easier to gather and is protected from the tides.

In Brazil’s semi-arid northeast, farming faces significant challenges due to climate change. Erratic rainfall and shifting harvest periods impact the region. Soil degradation prevents it from retaining water, nutrients, and microorganisms. To cope, farmers often overuse fertilizers, pesticides, and scarce water, perpetuating a damaging cycle. However, micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Rio Grande do Norte are making a difference. Tiago José Souza, a Cooperxique Cooperative member, practices agroecology to boost productivity while nurturing the soil. The cooperative’s organic certification programme ensures high standards without costly private certification. 

Small-scale farmers in Southern Madagascar find themselves on the front lines of climate change, facing increasingly unpredictable weather patterns and environmental degradation. Erratic rainfall and prolonged droughts have become common, severely affecting agricultural productivity and food security.

Food systems are collapsing due to climate change, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem destruction, but by empowering rural communities to lead sustainable management practices, we can restore ecosystems and ensure food security.

Biodiversity conservation is the cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, empowering communities and securing a resilient food future. 

Water scarcity exacerbates conflicts globally, but sustainable management initiatives, such as IFAD-supported projects in Mongolia and Colombia, demonstrate how equitable access to water can foster peace and prosperity.

Investing in women in agriculture is the surest path to prosperity and food security, empowering communities and fostering a sustainable future.

In a rapidly warming world, transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar power not only fosters rural development but also mitigates the worst impacts of climate change.

Focusing on innovation for a food secure future, the International Fund for Agricultural Development () held its in Rome. IFAD's President emphasized the significance of innovation in reshaping the future of agriculture and showcased examples of AI-powered climate information systems and blockchain technology for digital wallets. The solutions aim to help small-scale farmers increase their production and livelihoods, while building resilience to shocks such as climate change, conflict and economic instability. These changes can have far-reaching impacts since small-scale farmers produce one-third of the world’s food, and up to 70 percent of food in some developing countries.

Rural people help the world flourish and by investing in them, a new day is possible. Here are of 2023.