IFAD and ADB Strengthen Ties to Boost Food Security, Rural Development in Asia-Pacific

In a major step toward amplifying the impact of rural development, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) have reinforced their strategic alliance to co-finance and design joint projects over the next three years. Meeting earlier this week at ADB’s headquarters in Manila, representatives from both institutions committed to scaling up collaborative efforts to address entrenched challenges in poverty, food insecurity, and climate resilience across the Asia-Pacific region.

The dialogue reflects a mutual recognition that persistent inequalities, increasing vulnerability to climate shocks, rising unemployment, and nutritional gaps—exacerbated by recent global crises—require more integrated and innovative responses. The strengthened IFAD-ADB partnership is positioned to do just that.

A Vision for Co-Financed Innovation and Holistic Solutions

The two-day summit yielded a detailed roadmap focused on joint program design, co-financing mechanisms, and shared policy engagement. The partners aim to catalyze the transformation of national food systems, enhance climate adaptation capabilities, and promote inclusive economic growth, especially for rural communities.

Donal Brown, IFAD’s Associate Vice-President for Country Operations, called the initiative “a pivotal moment,” emphasizing the need to unlock opportunities for small-scale producers, who are vital to both food security and rural economies. “Together, we can accelerate the transition to more sustainable food systems,” Brown stated, highlighting the synergy of IFAD’s field experience and ADB’s infrastructure and policy expertise.

Deepening Collaboration in Fragile and Climate-Vulnerable Contexts

Key focus areas of the discussions included:

• Fragile and conflict-affected areas and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), where capacity constraints often limit development efforts.

• Nutrition-sensitive investments, addressing chronic undernourishment.

• Integrated responses to climate change and biodiversity loss, particularly through nature-based solutions and climate-smart agriculture.

• Strengthening private sector engagement, particularly in agricultural value chains and rural infrastructure.

By leveraging each institution’s strengths, the collaboration aims to address these multifaceted challenges with more responsive and context-specific development tools.

Ongoing Collaborations and Future Synergies

Currently, IFAD and ADB are jointly implementing four development projects across Bangladesh, Indonesia, Lao PDR, and Pakistan. These initiatives tackle a broad array of rural development challenges, from improving market access and value chain infrastructure to enhancing community resilience.

Additionally, the institutions have signed two ongoing collaboration agreements:

1. Digital Solutions for Agriculture – ADB is providing technical assistance to IFAD to integrate digital tools that can strengthen agricultural value chains.

2. Law and Policy Development – A joint initiative between IFAD’s and ADB’s General Counsels to harmonize legal frameworks around rural development and financial inclusion.

ADB is also supporting IFAD’s Moonshots for Development innovation initiative and co-leading the 3FS (Food Systems, Food Security, and Financing) program in partnership with the World Bank.

Field Visit: Ground-Level Impact in the Philippines

Prior to the high-level meetings, the IFAD delegation, led by Brown and Regional Director Reehana Raza, visited project sites in Bukidnon province, Philippines. They met with coffee farmers and agribusiness stakeholders benefiting from the RAPID Growth Project, which has notably improved local market access through infrastructure enhancements such as farm-to-market roads.

The delegation also held dialogues with farmer organizations striving to boost productivity, secure better financing, and forge partnerships with processors to add value to agricultural outputs.

Reinforcing National Commitments to Inclusive Growth

Brown’s visit also included bilateral meetings with key Philippine government leaders including:

• Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr, Secretary of the Department of Agriculture

• Arsenio M. Balisacan, Secretary of the Department of Economic Planning and Development

These discussions reaffirmed IFAD’s and ADB’s joint commitment to fostering inclusive rural development, especially in underserved areas.

Since 1977, IFAD has co-financed 17 projects in the Philippines, reaching over 2.1 million households, equivalent to approximately 9 million people—underscoring a long-standing commitment to sustainable agricultural development in the region.

A 40-Year Legacy with Renewed Momentum

With over four decades of cooperation behind them, ADB and IFAD are now charting a future that amplifies their collective impact. As F. Cleo Kawawaki, ADB’s Director General for Sectors Department 2, remarked: “Our comparative advantages together bring ADB’s developing member countries more holistic development solutions... to achieve food and nutrition security in Asia and the Pacific.”

The renewed partnership signals not just continuity, but ambition—one rooted in collaborative innovation, sustainability, and shared purpose.