On June 7 - 8 more than twenty young researcher from all over the world gathered at SLU to present their research at Young Researchers Meeting, ’Rural Transformation: Challenges and possibilities for rural communities’. The event was organized by SLU with collaboration of SLU Global, SIANI, The Nordic Africa Institute, Stockholm Resilience Centre and Stockholm University.
Lisandro Martin from IFAD opened with a lunch seminar focusing on rural transformation in low income countries with topic of IFAD’s role in supporting smallholder farmers in rural development.
He talked about the key challenges that are widespread across the whole world and highlighted SDG2, nutrition, youth migration, climate change, gender and agriculture issues. The rural development is transformational and there is a need to apply three dimensions. Firstly, the structural transformation – increasing importance of industry and service sector, productivity gains, rural-urban migration, demographic transition. Secondly, the rural transformation – technologically advanced, efficient and competitive agriculture, increasing commercialization, rising agro-processing, increasing importance of non-farm activities in rural household income. Thirdly, the rural inclusion – the extent to which different rural sectors can enjoy available rights and opportunities (women, youth, indigenous people and ethnic minorities).
IFAD looks at these three dimensions, in case the skills of the farmers are developed, supporting small businesses and establishing new enterprises or developing new infrastructure for farmers. In addition to that, young researchers become familiar with the Performance Based Allocation System (PBAS), developed by IFAD. PBAS is based on the country‘s needs and performances and a new business model. The new business model has four main dimensions including resource mobilization, resource allocation, resource utilization and resource transformation.
Two examples of IFAD’s projects were mentioned. One in Bangladesh: Haor Infrastructure and Livelihood Improvement Project and another in Cameroon: Youth Agro-pastoral Entrepreneurship Promotion Programme.
Throughout the meeting researchers held presentations and discussions with topics such as rural communities, smallholder farmers, rural development and similar in low-income countries.
Author: Anna Kroutilová, Agrinatura
