Investing in inclusive rural transformation: Innovative approaches to financing

The 2030 Agenda holds up the promise of a radically different and better future for rural people, rural economies, agriculture and food systems. But realizing this promise will require enormous investments, supported by enabling policies and institutions—including vastly improved access to finance for investment by smallholder farmers and rural small and medium enterprises.

As a consequence, the need to boost investment in rural economic development and financial inclusion in order to achieve the new global agenda has never been more important.

“Investing in inclusive rural transformation: Innovative approaches to financing,” is a unique international conference co-organized by IFAD and the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance, with the Brookings Institution and the University of Warwick. The two-day conference brings together policy and decision-makers, representatives of government organizations, the private sector, research and academic institutions, multilateral and bilateral development organizations, civil society and others for two days of solutions-focused events and discussion.

The conference began on January 25, 2017 with a high-level inaugural session at the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance. On January 26 and 27 the conference continued at IFAD’s Rome headquarters with lively panel discussions and technical sessions.

To see the agenda, participants, background documents, and keynote videos, please go to the program event page here:

https://www.ifad.org/ruraltransformation

See keynote speech of Senior Fellow and Deputy Director Homi Kharas

Read background paper by Senior Fellow and Deputy Director Homi Kharas