Our Focus

Strategic Objectives

Rebuilding food systems and developing rural areas requires ideas, actors and finance. The Platform brings together these necessary elements so that donors can develop and implement programmes that help rural people improve their lives and livelihoods.

Our Focus

Strategic Objectives

Rebuilding food systems and developing rural areas requires ideas, actors and finance. The Platform brings together these necessary elements so that donors can develop and implement programmes that help rural people improve their lives and livelihoods.

The platform strategy has three distinct yet complementary elements: strategic influencing, knowledge sharing and networking and convening.

Strategic Influencing

We help shape the thinking, policies and programming of the global donor community about food systems and rural development to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and longer-term prosperity and sustainability.

  • Keeping watch for emerging issues and alerting donors to emerging risks or opportunities (Horizon-scanning).
  • Convening task teams on issues that affect donors and partners to identify possible responses.
  • Convening high-level events and briefings to keep members up to date on the latest thinking and evidence.
  • Hosting an annual meeting of Members’ senior managers responsible for food systems/agriculture/rural development.
  • Mobilizing new joint efforts by donors to respond to emerging issues/funding gaps.
  • Helping donors reach a shared view in the run-up to global forums and processes.
  • Profiling and discussing key emerging issues with high-level representatives during its Annual General Assembly.

Knowledge Sharing

We broker the sharing of evidence, lessons, insights and technical expertise necessary for donors to align efforts, learn from each other and improve the impact of their food system and rural-development related policies and programmes.

  • Identifying policy and programming questions and issues that concern donors and drawing upon the experience of other donors or relevant expertise to help resolve them. Convening working groups and seminars on priority topics that enable donor staff to share experiences and lessons. with each other on priority topics.
  • Holding virtual briefing sessions on emerging issues, new research and new evaluations targeted to the specific needs of donors.
  • Providing a resource portal on its website so that members have easy access to each other’s key policies, reports and evaluations.
  • Providing blogs and a social media feed targeted to the interests of donors.

Networking and Convening

We strengthen networking, relationships and communication between donors and other actors as a foundation for collaboration and innovation.

  • Supporting a network of donor focal points, or contacts, among Platform members.
  • Bringing donor staff together in both face-to-face and virtual working groups, seminars and conferences and other exchanges.
  • Linking donors when they are looking for project partners.
  • Telling others about work being carried out by Platform members that could interest a wider audience – through blogs, social media, news updates and mailings.
  • Hosting the Annual General Assembly, which provides a forum for in-depth engagement between donors and other partners to share and debate knowledge and ideas.
  • Maintaining up-to-date contact lists for those with key food system and rural development responsibilities across donors.

Our Strategic Plan 2021-2025

In 2021, the Platform adopted a new vision that advocates a radical transformation of global food systems to achieve better access to safe and nutritious food, improved environmental sustainability and more prosperous rural communities.

The Strategic Plan 2021-2025 situates the work of the Platform across the domains of food systems, food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural livelihoods. It recognizes the Platform’s particular focus and orientation towards SDG 2 and the intersection with other SDGs.

While staying true to the original intent and purpose of the Platform, the Strategic Plan actions changes to the its vision, mission and objectives to better reflect the changing operating context and environment of the donor community to ensure its ongoing relevance.

Learn more

The platform strategy has three distinct yet complementary elements: strategic influencing, knowledge sharing and networking and convening.

Strategic Influencing

We help shape the thinking, policies and programming of the global donor community about food systems and rural development to accelerate progress towards the SDGs and longer-term prosperity and sustainability.

  • Keeping watch for emerging issues and alerting donors to emerging risks or opportunities (Horizon-scanning).
  • Convening task teams on issues that affect donors and partners to identify possible responses.
  • Convening high-level events and briefings to keep members up to date on the latest thinking and evidence.
  • Hosting an annual meeting of Members’ senior managers responsible for food systems/agriculture/rural development.
  • Mobilizing new joint efforts by donors to respond to emerging issues/funding gaps.
  • Helping donors reach a shared view in the run-up to global forums and processes.
  • Profiling and discussing key emerging issues with high-level representatives during its Annual General Assembly.

Knowledge Sharing

We broker the sharing of evidence, lessons, insights and technical expertise necessary for donors to align efforts, learn from each other and improve the impact of their food system and rural-development related policies and programmes.

  • Identifying policy and programming questions and issues that concern donors and drawing upon the experience of other donors or relevant expertise to help resolve them. Convening working groups and seminars on priority topics that enable donor staff to share experiences and lessons. with each other on priority topics.
  • Holding virtual briefing sessions on emerging issues, new research and new evaluations targeted to the specific needs of donors.
  • Providing a resource portal on its website so that members have easy access to each other’s key policies, reports and evaluations.
  • Providing blogs and a social media feed targeted to the interests of donors.

Networking and Convening

We strengthen networking, relationships and communication between donors and other actors as a foundation for collaboration and innovation.

  • Supporting a network of donor focal points, or contacts, among Platform members.
  • Bringing donor staff together in both face-to-face and virtual working groups, seminars and conferences and other exchanges.
  • Linking donors when they are looking for project partners.
  • Telling others about work being carried out by Platform members that could interest a wider audience – through blogs, social media, news updates and mailings.
  • Hosting the Annual General Assembly, which provides a forum for in-depth engagement between donors and other partners to share and debate knowledge and ideas.
  • Maintaining up-to-date contact lists for those with key food system and rural development responsibilities across donors.

Our Strategic Plan 2021-2025

In 2021, the Platform adopted a new vision that advocates a radical transformation of global food systems to achieve better access to safe and nutritious food, improved environmental sustainability and more prosperous rural communities.

The Strategic Plan 2021-2025 situates the work of the Platform across the domains of food systems, food and nutrition security, agriculture and rural livelihoods. It recognizes the Platform’s particular focus and orientation towards SDG 2 and the intersection with other SDGs.

While staying true to the original intent and purpose of the Platform, the Strategic Plan actions changes to the its vision, mission and objectives to better reflect the changing operating context and environment of the donor community to ensure its ongoing relevance.

Learn more

The Platform in Action

Assessing the Data ‘Quantum’ Leap in Agriculture and Food Systems

Key messages from the event "Assessing the Data ‘Quantum’ Leap in Agriculture and Food Systems" on 13 February 2023, jointly organized by the European Commission, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD).

The emerging needs and opportunities for a coordinated donor response to food systems transformation in difficult times

Key messages from a virtual seminar on 22 November 2022, the first of a new webinar series focused on enhancing donor coordination for food systems transformation.

Key messages on what drives donor commitments when reshaping food systems financing in a crisis and post-crisis environment

From a virtual roundtable “Reshaping Food Systems Financing in a Crisis and Post-Crisis Environment: Driving Donors’ Commitments” on 29 September, 2022. Co-organized by the GDPRD with IFAD and the European Commission, in collaboration with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub.

AGA 2022 Interviews: Agnes Kalibata (AGRA)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Agnes Kalibata President,

AGA 2022 Interviews: Johan Swinnen (CGIAR)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Johan Swinnen Global

AGA 2022 Interviews: Ayodeji Balogun (AFEX Commodities Exchange)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Ayodeji Balogun Chief

AGA 2022 Interviews: Stefanos Fotiou (UN Food Systems Coordination Hub)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Stefanos Fotiou Director,

AGA 2022 Interviews: Claudia Sadoff (CGIAR)

Five interviews from leading voices in the future of food systems, with messages for our youth and small-scale farmers.

Responding to the Global Food Price Crisis – Emerging Initiatives

Global food prices are at an all-time high. Equally alarmingly is the skyrocketing price of fertilizers, which risks farmers using less in the coming season and escalating the crises due to reduced crop yields. Useful Resources on the Current Crisis

Addressing the Impacts of the War in Ukraine on 3F (Food, Fuel, Fertilizer) Prices for Rural Small-Scale Producers

The Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) co-organized a virtual round table with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Commission (EC) on “Addressing the Impacts of the War in Ukraine on 3F (Food, Fuel, Fertilizer) Prices for Rural Small-Scale Producers” on 20 May, 2022.

Assessing the Data ‘Quantum’ Leap in Agriculture and Food Systems

Key messages from the event "Assessing the Data ‘Quantum’ Leap in Agriculture and Food Systems" on 13 February 2023, jointly organized by the European Commission, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) and the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development Data (GPSDD).

The emerging needs and opportunities for a coordinated donor response to food systems transformation in difficult times

Key messages from a virtual seminar on 22 November 2022, the first of a new webinar series focused on enhancing donor coordination for food systems transformation.

Key messages on what drives donor commitments when reshaping food systems financing in a crisis and post-crisis environment

From a virtual roundtable “Reshaping Food Systems Financing in a Crisis and Post-Crisis Environment: Driving Donors’ Commitments” on 29 September, 2022. Co-organized by the GDPRD with IFAD and the European Commission, in collaboration with the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub.

AGA 2022 Interviews: Agnes Kalibata (AGRA)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Agnes Kalibata President,

AGA 2022 Interviews: Johan Swinnen (CGIAR)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Johan Swinnen Global

AGA 2022 Interviews: Ayodeji Balogun (AFEX Commodities Exchange)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Ayodeji Balogun Chief

AGA 2022 Interviews: Stefanos Fotiou (UN Food Systems Coordination Hub)

Short interviews by the Platform Secretariat during the 2022 Annual General Assembly in Rome, Italy. Five experts talk about national pathways for food systems transformation, the current global food crisis response, and what they want small-scale farmers and the younger generation to know. Stefanos Fotiou Director,

AGA 2022 Interviews: Claudia Sadoff (CGIAR)

Five interviews from leading voices in the future of food systems, with messages for our youth and small-scale farmers.

Responding to the Global Food Price Crisis – Emerging Initiatives

Global food prices are at an all-time high. Equally alarmingly is the skyrocketing price of fertilizers, which risks farmers using less in the coming season and escalating the crises due to reduced crop yields. Useful Resources on the Current Crisis

Addressing the Impacts of the War in Ukraine on 3F (Food, Fuel, Fertilizer) Prices for Rural Small-Scale Producers

The Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) co-organized a virtual round table with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the European Commission (EC) on “Addressing the Impacts of the War in Ukraine on 3F (Food, Fuel, Fertilizer) Prices for Rural Small-Scale Producers” on 20 May, 2022.