The President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Alvaro Lario, will attend the 38th African Union (AU) Summit from 15 to 16 February 2025 to meet African leaders and reaffirm IFAD’s commitment to supporting the continent in achieving its development goals and priorities, as well as the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) objectives by building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agri-food systems.
The meetings come just after IFAD’s Forty-eighth Governing Council, where President Lario met with African leaders including King Letsie III of Lesotho and Julius Maada Wonie Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. IFAD Member States reaffirmed the Fund’s role in helping countries achieve food security, growth and stability through investment in rural areas.
The AU Summit comes at a time when Africa faces significant challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, fragility and economic instability. As a dedicated partner in agricultural development, IFAD aims to strengthen its collaboration with AU member states to enhance rural economies and improve livelihoods for millions of people across the continent.
“Our collective efforts are paramount to unlocking the potential of agriculture and food systems as a driver for sustainable development and poverty reduction. IFAD is committed to working with African leaders to empower farmers and rural entrepreneurs through innovative solutions and targeted investments that make a tangible difference in the lives of rural communities,” said President Lario.
While in Addis Ababa, President Lario will hold bilateral meetings with a number of Heads of State and dignitaries to discuss innovative approaches and partnerships that support development that is led by Africans and benefits Africans, especially its women and youth, who are too often marginalized or excluded. He will also participate in side events and meet with other development partners to stress the importance of increasing investment in agriculture and implementing policies that facilitate rural development and food security.
Africa’s 33-50 million smallholder farms provide livelihoods to hundreds of millions of people, and play a pivotal role in the region’s economy and food systems. With greater investment, they have huge potential to provide jobs for youth and contribute to healthy diets and thriving communities.
The CAADP Strategy and Action Plan for 2026-2035 and the recently adopted Kampala CAADP Declaration on Building Resilient and Sustainable Agrifood Systems in Africa are critical frameworks for guiding Africa’s agricultural policies to foster greater food security, enhance agricultural productivity and address rural poverty. IFAD’s participation in the summit will focus on investment, policy engagement and partnerships that foster the continent’s rural transformation
