IFAD in Country

IFAD in China

In 1981 IFAD became one of the first international donors to finance operations in China. Since then it has provided loans for 23 rural development programmes and projects. Most IFAD-funded programme and project areas are located in China’s remote and mountainous regions, where there are large numbers of poor indigenous peoples. Programmes and projects usually include a focus on rural women, because women are largely responsible for farm production and household tasks. IFAD has supported activities such as land improvement and irrigation and water conservation, as well as production of food, cash crops, livestock and fish. Some of these activities are funded through IFAD-supported microfinance services, which allow poor rural households to obtain access to small loans or savings schemes.

According to recent government estimates, more than 30 million people in 21 provinces have benefited from IFAD-financed programmes and projects. And cooperation between China and IFAD has helped generate better agricultural and economic policies for the country’s rural areas.

In a context of growing regional and local disparities and in support of the government’s objective of establishing a more balanced and affluent society, IFAD will continue to work towards eradicating poverty in remote areas and improving living conditions for low-income households. In April 2004 China’s Vice-Premier Hui Liangyu and former IFAD President Lennart Båge met in Rome and reaffirmed IFAD’s support of the country’s anti-poverty and development strategy.

IFAD’s updated Country Strategic Opportunity Programme 2005 highlights the catalytic role and focus of the organization’s activities in China. The strategy is driven by an emphasis on access and innovation. IFAD promotes access for poor women and men to information and knowledge, and to natural resources, appropriate financial services and premium quality markets. By introducing sector programmes, IFAD directs its resources towards a limited number of strategic opportunities. Positive results of pilot programmes and projects will serve as a basis for policy adjustment and for scaling up, utilizing the government’s own resources.

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