Brussels, 24/02/2012 (Agence Europe) - The 35th session of the governing council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) ended in Rome on Thursday 23 February. The Fund stated its resolve to ensure that the means of subsistence of small agricultural producers are increased, and its determination to tackle food supply insecurity in developing countries. IFAD President Kanayo F. Nwanze concluded that there are many opptions but that each must meet the needs and wishes of local communities. “We must give farmers greater capacity and the means to become independent”, he said.
The Italian minister for international cooperation and integration policies, Andrea Riccardi, pointed out that famine is not simply a humanitarian problem, and that not resolving the problem would be a serious economic error.
This year, the IFAD invited a special guest speaker, the billionaire Bill Gates, so that he might share his know-how and take part in the debate. In a presentation calling on world leaders to give more support for sustainable farming, Gates suggested that digital technology could be allied to the farming sector, which would make it possible to “resolve old problems using new means”. Thanks to technological breakthroughs and agricultural sciences, small farmers could “double or even triple their output” over the next 20 years, Gates said, while “preserving the land for future generations”. The Gates Foundation, created by Bill Gates in 2000 to combat poverty in the world, has signed an agreement with the IFAD to enhance their partnership.
The IFAD also announced that there would be two new members - South Sudan and Estonia. The circle of IFAD members therefore continues to grow larger, bringing the number of member nations to 168. (SD/transl.jl)