Kathmandu July 1, The IFAD Regional Implementation Workshop and Regional Farmers’ Forum, jointly held in Abidjan from 23 to 25 June, laid out an ambitious vision for the future of small-scale agriculture in West and Central Africa, including elevating farmers’ organizations as strategic partners shaping rural transformation.
Bringing together high-level government officials, farmers’ organizations, development partners, IFAD-funded project management units and the private sector, the forum highlighted how strong partnerships can scale practical solutions for rural communities. The event also underscored how farmers’ organizations are increasingly driving innovation, integrating in value chains in partnership with the private sector, creating opportunities for rural youth, and improving access to finance.
“Farmers’ organizations are powerful partners of food systems transformation. When empowered, they strengthen governance, spur innovation, amplify farmers’ voices and build lasting sustainability. Their long-term autonomy depends on strong, business-oriented models that generate value, resilience and opportunity,” said Bernard Hien, IFAD Regional Director for West and Central Africa.
Experiences presented from several countries showed that financing becomes more accessible to smallholders when financial institutions work closely with organized farmer groups to share information, reduce risks and build trust.
“Small-scale farmers are one of agriculture’s most important private-sector actors. By organizing into farmers’ organizations, they strengthen their voice, expand market opportunities and improve livelihoods. At IFAD, we know food security cannot be achieved without farmers’ organizations as key partners in designing and implementing projects,” said Nigel Brett, Director for IFAD’s, Sustainable Production, Markets and Institutions Division
Sustainability was a recurring theme throughout the three days: what allows investments to keep delivering results once project financing ends? Experiences from across the region pointed to a consistent answer: strong partnerships, transparent governance and meaningful farmer participation through professionally managed organizations.
In this spirit, the Farmers’ Organization Declaration adopted at the close of the meeting called for a more systematic dialogue at regional and country level, greater recognition of the role and expertise of farmers’ organizations in the design, implementation and evaluation of projects and programmes. It also emphasized the need for stronger collaboration on shared priorities, including climate resilience, environmental sustainability, financing and sustainable economic models and farmers organizations’ role in fragile contexts.
Together, these commitments reinforce a central message from Abidjan: when farmers’ organizations are empowered as full partners, rural investments are more relevant, more resilient and more likely to deliver lasting results.
The forum also took place against the backdrop of IFAD’s broader partnerships to strengthen farmers’ organizations, which have benefitted over the years from IFAD’s broader partnerships including through European Union-co-funded programmes such as FO4IMPACT or the GAFSP Producer Organisation window. These initiatives are implemented by farmers organizations themselves and aim to improve farmers’ access to markets, finance and policy dialogue as well as to strengthen their organisations at local, national and regional level.
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