IFAD, China forge stronger partnership to boost rural revitalisation, South-South collaboration

Donal Brown, associate vice president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)'s Programme Management Department, visited China for the first time last week to enhance collaboration with Chinese policymakers and development partners.

His visit focused on reaffirming a close partnership and advancing rural development initiatives within and beyond China. 

During his trip, Brown also delivered a keynote speech at the 2nd High-Level Forum on Global Action for Shared Development and visited an IFAD project in Hunan province.

During bilateral meetings with key policymakers in China, including senior officials from the Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Affairs (MARA), the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), and the Ministry of Finance (MoF), Brown confirmed IFAD's new strategic priorities in China: rural revitalization and green development, which are closely aligned with the Chinese government's goals for agricultural and rural development, according to the specialized agency of the United Nations.

He also emphasised IFAD's commitment to jointly promote South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) with China, highlighting China's significant potential to contribute to global public goods.

In a meeting with Brown, Huaying Tao, Chief Veterinary Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, said that China would work with IFAD within the framework of the Global Development Initiative to leverage the power of the China-IFAD SSTC Facility to safeguard food security and promote green agriculture globally.

Brown welcomed China's commitment to exploring new potential in areas such as animal husbandry and veterinary medicine.

"At IFAD we know that our partnership with China is crucial to addressing the global challenges facing rural people, including climate change, conflicts, and food insecurity," said Brown. "This visit has allowed IFAD to further strengthen our collaboration with China to support sustainable and inclusive rural transformation, benefiting the most vulnerable people," he added.

He met He Jihua, Vice Chairman of the Hunan Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference on a visit to the Hunan province to see the impact of IFAD's investments in the region and speak to small-scale farmers and rural people who have benefitted from these investments.

In Fenghuang and Guzhang counties of Hunan province, Brown saw how small-scale farmers were adopting the climate-resilient agricultural practices encouraged by IFAD-supported projects, such as using organic fertilizers to improve soil quality.

At the Second High-Level Conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development hosted by CIDCA on 12 July, Brown thanked President Xi Jinping on behalf of IFAD for China's contribution of $10 million to the IFAD-China SSTC Facility -- a testament to the strength of IFAD's partnership with China and to the common commitment towards supporting rural transformation in the Global South.

Brown also signed an implementation partner agreement with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and Multilateral Cooperation Centre for Development Finance (MCDF).
This agreement officially accredits IFAD as an international financing institution implementation partner of MCDF. He also met Jiang Zehui founder of the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization (INBAR) and co-chair of the INBAR board of trustees.