Bonn and Rome, 23 October 2019
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The Board of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development is pleased to announce that the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), per a decision by its Executive Management Committee, has agreed to host the Platform’s Secretariat starting January 1st, 2020. With this, IFAD takes over the hosting baton from the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), which coordinated the Secretariat on commission of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for the past sixteen years. Both IFAD and BMZ are founding members of the Global Donor Platform and, together with the other 14 Board members, drivers of the strategic development of the Platform.
The transition coincides with the strategic repositioning of the Platform that was initiated at the Platform’s 2019 Annual General Assembly in June as a response to the shifting development agenda under the Agenda 2030 and related changing donor landscapes.
Since its founding in 2003, the Platform has effectively shared knowledge and successfully advocated for the role of agriculture, food systems, and rural development in promoting sustainable rural communities, which are key to achieving global food and nutrition security. For over one and a half decades, the Platform’s work has demonstrated that informed policy and programming are essential factors for better development results and effectiveness of investments.
“Members work together to influence ideas and resources for sustainable agriculture and food systems transformation“– this goal will continue to guide the Platform in the future”, says David Hegwood of the U.S. Agency for International Development, one of the Platform Board’s Co-Chairs, who welcomes IFAD’s commitment with great enthusiasm. On behalf of the Platform he expressed appreciation for BMZ’s years of outstanding support to the Platform by active participation in the Board as well as by ensuring that a well-supported Secretariat professionally facilitated the Platform’s operations.
During the transfer of the Secretariat’s services, which will take place as part of a six-month transitional phase, GIZ as the current host and IFAD as new host will closely coordinate to ensure that all services regarding the Platform’s operations and the support to the Platform’s individual Thematic Working Groups will continue.
