Rome, 1 April, 2009 – As leaders of the G20 gather in London to seek shared solutions to the global economic crisis, IFAD’s new President, Kanayo F. Nwanze, called on national governments to accelerate agricultural development.
The worldwide financial downturn is threatening to push millions of people into abject poverty, particularly poor rural people in developing countries, most of whom are smallholder farmers.
“We ignore the world’s poor farmers at our peril. As we strive to recover from the current turmoil, these farmers can be part of the solution. With the right support, they can drive wider economic growth and avert future food crises, like the one that shook the world last year,” Nwanze said.
“Only a renaissance in agriculture in developing countries can transform the lives of poor rural people and provide enough food for a growing population.”
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