IFAD is a United Nations specialized agency and an international financial institution. With headquarters in Rome – the UN food and agriculture hub – and 40 offices across the world, IFAD invests in rural people, particularly small-scale producers. We empower the most vulnerable to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. The Fund is one of the largest sources of financing for agriculture, climate adaptation and rural development in the world’s economically poorest countries to whom IFAD has provided more than US$24 billion in grants and low-interest loans since 1978.

IFAD Japan Liaison Office was established in November 2021 within the Yokohama International Cooperation Centre (Pacifico Yokohama) in Yokohama City, as IFAD’s first liaison office in Asia. IFAD collaborates with various ministries, the City of Yokohama, universities, research institutes, private companies, and international organizations in Japan.

The Government of Japan has been one of the top contributors and a key partner of IFAD since its establishment in 1977, sharing a commitment to food security and improved nutrition, particularly in Africa and Asia.

One of the examples of a strong partnership with Japan is that IFAD is an implementing partner for Japan’s G7 Presidency flagship initiative: Enhanced Linkages between the Private Sector and Small-scale Producers (ELPS) that was jointly launched by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries of Japan and IFAD in 2023. With a focus on connecting Japan’s and global north’s private companies with small-scale producers in developing countries, the ELPS aims to transform small-scale producers’ farming in a sustainable manner and to improve their productivity and market access by catalyzing private sector engagement and investment in agriculture and food systems.

IFAD has always focused exclusively on rural poverty and hunger reduction. Rural areas concentrate 80% of the world’s poorest. Most of them are small-scale food producers who rely to a significant extent on small-scale farming for their food and livelihoods. They grow one-third of the food consumed globally, including in Japan. However, many small-scale food producers are among those up to 783 million people that go to bed hungry worldwide, especially in developing countries.

Agriculture is a proven engine for poverty and hunger reduction. GDP growth generated by agriculture is estimated to be two to three times more effective in reducing poverty than growth in any other sector. Agriculture and rural areas are also key to tackle climate change. The scientific evidence is clear: climate change is threatening the planet’s ability to feed its growing population. As small-scale farmers bear the brunt of the climate crisis living on its front lines, they need support to adapt quickly to the new climatic patterns, before it is too late.

IFAD-supported projects demonstrate that access to finance, markets, technology, and information can help rural populations lift themselves out of poverty. Between 2019-2021, IFAD’s investments improved the incomes of 77.4 million rural people by at least 10 percent. IFAD’s efforts not only help rural people grow more food and increase their incomes but also promote gender equality, inclusiveness, capacity building, and climate resilience.

Looking ahead, IFAD aims to strengthen partnerships with Japan and other stakeholders to advocate for investment in small-scale producers and long-term rural development. For the 2025-2027 period, IFAD seeks to replenish its fund with 2 billion dollars to support a 10 billion dollar program, aiming to directly improve the lives and livelihoods of 100 million rural people.