As the United Nations marks its 80th anniversary, there’s another milestone quietly reshaping rural lives: 45 years of collaboration between the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and China. Since joining IFAD in 1980, China has tapped into 35 IFAD-supported projects that brought finance, technical know-how and innovation to 4.65 million rural families.
The results? By 2020, China celebrated the elimination of extreme poverty, delivering on SDG 1: "No Poverty." IFAD’s mix of climate-smart farming, rural finance and market link improvements played a vital part in that success story.
Looking ahead, IFAD and China are gearing up for a new country strategy spanning 2025–2030, aligned with the UN’s Pact for the Future. The strategy zeroes in on rural revitalization, green agriculture and stronger local institutions. Through South-South cooperation, China will share its proven rural solutions with peers facing similar challenges.
Innovation is already on the ground: in Yunnan, youth entrepreneurs have rolled out smartphone-controlled drip irrigation, slashing water waste. In Hunan, 5G-powered smart fisheries are boosting yields while cutting environmental impact—all led by young researchers and startup founders.
Gender equality is central to this journey. With women accounting for half of the rural producers reached, female-led tea farms, bakeries and batik craft enterprises are emerging as engines of growth and social change.
From lifting millions out of poverty to piloting digital, climate-resilient solutions, the IFAD-China partnership shows how targeted investment and local empowerment can redefine rural futures. As the world seeks sustainable models for agriculture and community development, this four-decade alliance offers lessons—and hope—for a greener, more inclusive tomorrow.
Reference(s):
IFAD and China: Pioneering a future for sustainable rural development
cgtn.com
