Established in 1977, IFAD currently has 177 member countries, including Germany as one of its founding members.

As the second-largest multilateral donor in agriculture and food security, IFAD has a unique capability to mobilize resources from capital markets, with current borrowings of around $1 billion.

The organization operates in 92 countries, supporting approximately 79 million people, with a particular focus on the African continent, where about 55% of funding for 2022–2024 is directed.

Objectives and Goals

The organization’s core objectives are:

• Promoting rural development and improving living conditions in rural areas
• Enhancing food security and combating poverty in rural regions

In concrete terms, IFAD focuses on the following areas:

• Securing livelihoods through increased production and productivity
• Generating marketable surpluses
• Supporting the establishment and development of micro and small enterprises
• Facilitating integration into regional, national, and international markets and value chains

To this end, IFAD provides loans in cooperation with national governments and financial institutions, as well as directly to the private sector.

Through its activities, IFAD contributes significantly to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in particular SDG 1 (No Poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero Hunger).

In 2024, IFAD supported a total of 182 programmes and projects in 87 countries and territories.

Funding

IFAD’s financing is primarily based on voluntary contributions from its Member States, which are pledged for three-year replenishment periods.

The thirteenth replenishment period (IFAD13) is currently ongoing and will run until the end of 2027, with approximately USD 1.875 billion pledged by Member States.

Negotiations for the fourteenth replenishment (IFAD14) were launched in February 2026.

Institutional Structure

IFAD has two main governing bodies:

• Governing Council: This highest decision-making body meets annually and includes representatives from all member countries, where crucial decisions, such as the election of the IFAD President, are made.
• Executive Board: Responsible for overseeing daily operations and approving strategies and programs, the Executive Board meets three times a year and consists of 18 Executive Directors and their representatives.

IFAD and Germany

Germany is a major contributor to IFAD and is providing a core contribution of approximately EUR 88.5 million in the current replenishment period. In addition, Germany supports programmes in the areas of private sector development, youth employment, and gender equality.

In July 2016, a strategic partnership was established between the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and IFAD to advance joint investments and development strategies for rural areas.

Germany also engages through secondments and by supporting initiatives aimed at strengthening land rights.

as of April 2026

IFAD President
Alvaro Lario (Spain), since September 2022

IFAD
International Fund for Agricultural Development
Via Paolo di Dono, 44
00142 - Rome, Italy
Internet: https://www.ifad.org/en/