FAO and Islamic Development Bank Strengthen Partnership to Transform Agrifood Systems
New momentum for climate-resilient agriculture and food security under renewed collaboration
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu (R) signs with Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser Chairman, President of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group a letter extending the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Islamic Development Bank and FAO regarding Cooperation in Agriculture and Rural Development.
©FAO/Giuseppe Carotenuto
Rome – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) today reaffirmed their commitment to accelerating agrifood systems transformation through enhanced collaboration, building on the 2020 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Joint Action Plan. The agreement was highlighted during a high-level meeting between FAO Director-General Dr. QU Dongyu and IsDB President H.E. Dr. Muhammad Sulaiman Al Jasser in Rome.
FAO and the IsDB have focused on addressing global challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, Food insecurity and rural development, with an emphasis on mobilizing tailored investments in climate-smart agriculture and commodity value chain innovation. The IsDB has provided support for FAO’s work in building the resilience of rural populations in fragile contexts, most recently through investments to rehabilitate irrigation systems in key agricultural production areas of eastern Afghanistan.
“FAO values IsDB’s leadership and partnership in fostering South-South Cooperation and financing transformation of agrifood systems, leaving no one behind” said Dr QU Dongyu, FAO Director-General. “This important partnership leverages our technical expertise to empower smallholder farmers and build resilience in vulnerable communities.”
H.E. Dr. Al Jasser underscored IsDB’s commitment: “Our collaboration with FAO aligns with the Bank’s Food Security Response Programme and Climate Action Plan. Together, we can unlock science-based innovative solutions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.”
In 2024, IsDB has recently partnered with FAO and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to conduct the mapping of affordable and transferrable food security-related technologies to address these challenges of food insecurity and malnutrition by identifying technologies that have the potential to be mainstreamed to improve the livelihoods of smallholder farmers"