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In 1975, during International Women’s Year, the United Nations chose 8 March as International Women’s Day. Thirty-five years later, the theme for 2010 is “Equal rights, equal opportunities: Progress for all.” In addition to the global theme, each country or group celebrating the day can choose its own topic to make the day locally relevant.
For the three Rome-based United Nations agencies – IFAD, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Food Programme (WFP) – International Women’s Day will be celebrated this year with an event honouring the resilience of women in Haiti.

 

Increasing the knowledge and assets of poor families is an effective way to fight poverty. An innovative IFAD-supported project in the southern highlands of Peru provides grants directly to small producers and to farmers’ organizations so they can develop new income opportunities. Project activities are helping participants better manage natural resources and gain access to Internet services, financial services and insurance.

Recent reports indicate that the rains have failed once again across vast swathes of Eastern Africa, putting millions of people at risk. This current regional crisis is a stark reminder to all of us that the global food security crisis of 2007 and 2008, which was marked by a sharp contraction in food supplies and food price spikes, is far from over. Food prices have come down from their peaks of 2008, but they are still at historically high levels. 
 

Poverty, illiteracy and unemployment levels are high among the 18 indigenous groups that live in Mindanao. The IFAD-funded Northern Mindanao Community Initiatives Resource Management Project has helped empower tribes to take the lead in the education of their children and in their own self-governance – two important routes to a better future.

Reacting to remarks made by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her recent visit to Kenya, Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), said, “Coming on the heels of the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Secretary Clinton’s comments send a clear signal that the United States is committed to the effort to turn the pledges made by world leaders in Italy last month into action”. “Investing in agriculture -- and in particular smallholder agriculture -- is indeed the most cost-effective way of reducing poverty, saving and improving lives.” Nwanze thanked Secretary Clinton for keeping the global spotlight on agriculture and rural poverty. 

 

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