Daily Times

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is reaffirming its commitment to collaborate with Pakistan in reducing rural poverty and improving food security.

This comes as the country faces ongoing challenges from climate change, impacting its agricultural sector, said in IFAD press release issued here.

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is determined to continue its partnership with Pakistan, focusing on reducing rural poverty and enhancing food security.

Fernanda Thomaz Da Rocha, IFAD’s new country director for Pakistan, highlighted this commitment during her recent introduction to Pakistan’s Foreign Secretary, Ambassador Muhammad Syrus Sajjad Qazi.

Da Rocha emphasized that the collaboration between IFAD and Pakistan has been strong for over 40 years, with both parties working together on inclusive rural development.

She expressed her intention to maintain this partnership, explore new approaches, and engage with various stakeholders, including the private sector, to ensure that women and youth are integrated into the rural economy. Da Rocha’s appointment comes at a crucial time as Pakistan, like many countries, is dealing with the effects of climate change, which have disrupted food production and threatened rural livelihoods.

The devastating floods of 2022 highlighted the vulnerability of Pakistan’s small-scale farmers, who make up the majority of the agricultural sector.

With over 18 years of experience in development finance and poverty alleviation, Da Rocha is well-equipped to address these challenges.

Before her current role, she was a Senior Regional Technical Specialist for IFAD in Latin America and the Caribbean, where she led projects aimed at improving small-scale agriculture, supporting farmers’ organizations, and promoting sustainable production systems.

Prior to joining IFAD, Da Rocha held senior management positions at the Brazilian Development Bank (BNDES), where she oversaw rural development and poverty reduction initiatives in Brazil. Her background includes extensive work in designing and implementing strategies for poverty alleviation in regions affected by climate change. Da Rocha, a Brazilian national, holds a master’s degree in public policy from the University of California, Berkeley.

In her new role, Da Rocha will guide IFAD’s strategy in Pakistan, focusing on increasing the impact of its investments and operations. She aims to ensure that IFAD’s projects not only raise rural incomes and improve livelihoods but also strengthen communities’ ability to adapt to climate change.

Currently, IFAD has five active projects in Pakistan, making it the organization’s largest investment portfolio. These projects focus on lifting the ultra-poor through models that emphasize the inclusion of women and youth, while supporting Pakistan’s goal of modernizing and commercializing its agriculture sector in a climate-smart way.

Since the partnership began in 1978, IFAD and Pakistan have collaborated on 28 projects with a total investment of $2.91 billion, including $920 million in IFAD financing. The ongoing projects alone account for approximately $691 million, of which IFAD contributes $451 million.