The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has strengthened its agricultural development drive in West and Central Africa with a regional investment portfolio valued at $2.404 billion, supporting programmes aimed at improving food security, strengthening rural livelihoods and building resilience against climate change.
Nigeria remains a key beneficiary of IFAD’s interventions in the region, with three active projects currently under implementation. The country is listed among major programme countries alongside Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mali and Sierra Leone, as the agency continues to channel resources into agricultural transformation and rural development.
According to the IFAD Annual Report 2025, the organisation is currently running 52 programmes across 22 countries in West and Central Africa, following the approval of $180.4 million in new IFAD financing during the year.
The report stated that five new programmes and projects were approved in 2025 across Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe. Ghana also received a new Country Strategic Opportunities Programme designed to guide future investments and partnerships.
IFAD described West and Central Africa as a region of “significant promise and potential,” despite facing serious development challenges, including high levels of poverty, insecurity, food shortages and increasing climate-related pressures.
The organisation noted that more than 130 million people in the region are still affected by food insecurity. However, it added that rising investments in climate-smart agriculture, renewable energy, digital solutions and regional trade are opening new pathways for sustainable agricultural growth.
The agency also identified the region’s youthful population as a major opportunity for economic transformation. With more than three out of every five people below the age of 25, IFAD said targeted investments in skills development, agribusiness and innovation could create jobs and expand opportunities for young people across rural communities.
Beyond West and Central Africa, IFAD reported significant global results from its development programmes. As of December 31, 2024, the organisation’s worldwide portfolio had reached 92 million people, supported the management of 1.9 million hectares of land using climate-resilient approaches, created about 389,800 jobs and contributed to the construction of more than 7,300 kilometres of roads.
The report further revealed that IFAD-supported initiatives helped 1.1 million households adopt environmentally sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices. The programmes also enabled 25,300 people to gain secure access to land and contributed to the avoidance or removal of 133.7 million tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.
IFAD said its current investment strategy is increasingly focused on expanding climate-smart agriculture, agroecological farming systems, rural financial services, agribusiness incubators and financing opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises.
According to the organisation, these interventions are designed not only to increase rural incomes but also to help farming communities withstand the growing effects of climate change.
Speaking on the report, IFAD President Alvaro Lario said the institution entered the first year of its 13th replenishment cycle, known as IFAD13, at a time when the global development landscape is changing rapidly and requiring stronger efficiency and measurable impact.
He said the evolving financial environment has increased demand for greater accountability in development financing while also creating opportunities to use technology, partnerships and innovative funding models to expand results.
“At the centre of today’s global challenges lie rural areas – home to most of the world’s poorest people and the foundation of global food systems. How IFAD and its partners invest in rural development will play a decisive role in shaping food security, economic growth and stability worldwide,” Lario said.
The report also highlighted IFAD’s improved financial capacity, noting that member countries pledged more than $1.5 billion towards the IFAD13 replenishment covering the 2025–2027 period.
The organisation said every $1 contributed by donors is expected to generate about $6 in investments through co-financing arrangements and strategic partnerships.
IFAD further disclosed that it mobilised $1.02 billion through private market issuances, including $353 million raised through three private placements completed in 2025. The milestone pushed cumulative private market financing beyond the $1 billion threshold.
In addition, the agency said its climate and environmental co-financing portfolio has surpassed $1 billion through collaborations with major global partners, including the Adaptation Fund, the Global Environment Facility and the Green Climate Fund.
The organisation maintained that sustained investment in rural communities remains critical to addressing food insecurity, improving livelihoods and supporting long-term economic stability in developing regions.