International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

Performance evidence

Overview

IFAD was founded in 1977 after the first World Food Conference (WFC) in 1974. The WFC was held in response to several food crises in the early 1970s, in which leaders recognised that food insecurity and famine were caused both by failures in food production, and broader structural problems relating to rural poverty. The conference also recognised that at this time, most of the developing world lived in rural areas. Latest data from IFAD continues to show a large proportion of the global population – around 45 per cent – live in rural areas of developing countries. IFAD’s core priority since its founding has been reducing poverty and food insecurity in rural areas through agriculture and rural development.

IFAD focuses on supporting the most disadvantaged and marginalised farmers by providing resources to those with the highest levels of need. This is through work at three levels:

At the global level, IFAD allocates resources to the countries in lower-middle income groups, disadvantaged regions and countries in fragile situations.
At the country level, IFAD channels resources to the disadvantaged regions and most vulnerable socio-economic groups through the process of country strategy (COSOP).
At the project level, IFAD targets the poorest and most excluded within the project area.

Performance rating summary

IFAD 2022 organisational performance wheel — Organisational performance

Key findings

IFAD has a clear mandate and well-articulated strategic framework which address the issues of food security and agricultural production in the poorest countries and the poorest regions of countries. Over the last five years, IFAD has increasingly focused on supporting farmers in fragile situations, people with disabilities, indigenous communities, youth and those suffering from disasters in rural areas.
The business model is focused on this mandate, and IFAD has responded appropriately and quickly to changes in the external environment including COVID-19 and climate change.
IFAD uses effective consultative processes to develop its country strategies, project designs and conduct project supervision.
IFAD has been responsive in allocating its resources transparently and, in accordance with analysis of global needs, its mandate and the directions of its Member States.
IFAD’s Independent Office of Evaluation produces high-quality evaluations of operational work, country strategies and on issues of special interest to IFAD and its management.

Improving disbursement rates and minimising implementation delays to improve project efficiency.
Increasing budget allocation to critical activities such as project design, Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes (COSOP) formulation and project supervision and reflecting on the value of a system to better understand staff costs to improve organisational efficiency.
Increasing selectivity within programmes, strategic partnerships (including joint monitoring and evaluation) and organisational decision making in accordance with IFAD’s mandate, comparative advantage and available resources.
Strengthening activities to improve staff well-being and respond to findings from the staff survey and initial feedback on the decentralisation process.
Strengthening IFAD’s policy on protection from sexual exploitation and abuse and its implementation, ensuring it is victim-centred and clarifies lines of accountability.