New Delhi

India and the International Fund for Agricultural Development have decided to deepen their collaboration to increase investments in rural development, with a stronger emphasis on livelihood generation, climate resilience and agricultural transformation in rural regions, according to an IFAD release.

The announcement came after a senior IFAD delegation completed a five-day visit to India aimed at advancing a new eight-year cooperation framework focused on rural finance, value chain expansion and enterprise development.

During the visit, IFAD representatives held discussions with officials from the Ministries of Finance, Agriculture and Rural Development on shared priorities such as strengthening farmer producer organisations (FPOs), boosting agricultural productivity and promoting rural entrepreneurship.

Donal Brown, Associate Vice-President of IFAD’s Department of Country Operations, said that nearly 75 per cent of IFAD’s current portfolio in India is dedicated to value chain development and entrepreneurship initiatives in rural economies.

He also reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to supporting community-based institutions and improving coordination with State Rural Livelihood Missions and other flagship rural development schemes.

According to IFAD, the proposed roadmap seeks to create stronger rural systems by integrating finance, innovation and policy support through institutions such as self-help groups, cooperatives and farmer producer organisations.

Reehana Raza, Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted IFAD’s long-standing partnership with Meghalaya, stating that sustained collaborations are crucial for ensuring long-term investments that benefit small farmers and rural communities.

The IFAD team also travelled to Meghalaya to assess community-led programmes under the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project. In addition, the delegation met government officials in Assam to explore future avenues of cooperation.

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India is among the founding members of IFAD and has maintained a partnership with the organisation for more than 48 years. At present, IFAD is financing 35 rural development projects in India, with a combined portfolio worth approximately USD 4.2 billion.