IFAD hails partnership with China in poverty reduction

John Mclntire, associate vice president of the program management department at IFAD, said at the agency's first Country Program Evaluation (CPE) in Beijing on Thursday that the impact of IFAD interventions in China has been significant. [Photo by Chen Boyuan / China.org.cn]

The United Nations International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD) has recognized the achievements of its cooperation with China between 1999 and 2013, deemingthem"satisfactory."

John Mclntire, associate vice president of the program management department at IFAD, said at the agency's first Country Program Evaluation (CPE) in Beijing on Thursday that the impact of IFAD interventions in China has been significant, primarily in terms of increase in income, asset building, and enhanced agricultural productivity and food security – "an important role in rural poverty reduction in China."

The CPE said 100 percent of projects in China are "moderately satisfactory or better in terms of overall project achievement, as compared to 83 percent of projects in Asia and the Pacific region between 2002 and 2012," according to the IFAD evaluation report.

China is the second largest recipient of IFAD's assistance in up to 27 agricultural and rural development projects and programs funded by the international agency since 1981.

According to IFAD, it approved loans for 13 projects, amounting to around US$434 million, or 40.5 percent of total project costs from 1999 to 2013. The funds generally went toward providing support for integrated rural development in remote areas and in areas with difficult resource environments. Apart from that, participatory and demand-driven approaches to grassroots development are also characteristic of the partnership between IFAD and sub-national governments in China.

Mclntire said IFAD recognizes that China demands more than just financial support, and that new financial sources, products and instruments need to be explored and offered, in addition to traditional loans.

IFAD is dedicated to eradicating rural poverty in developing countries by directly focusing on increasing food production and rural incomes. The international financial institution was established in 1977 as one of the major outcomes of the 1974 World Food Conference.