From rethinking ODA and leveraging new resource flows to strengthening collaboration among donors, Lawrence Haddad reflected on a challenging year for development cooperation—and shared reasons for optimism in 2026. Read and watch the interview to hear his insights on the path forward for agriculture, nutrition, and food systems investment.
27 January 2026 | FAO HQ, Rome and Online (Zoom) | Deep shifts in global food and agricultural systems have intensified the need for transformative change. With more than eight decades of experience, FAO is responding by promoting a systems-based approach that addresses complexity, manages trade-offs, and unlocks synergies across sectors.
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Global growth remains resilient, but the OECD warns of deepening vulnerabilities across labour markets, finance, and public debt.
Join Corinna Hawkes (Director, Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, FAO) and Jim Woodhill (Senior Advisor, GDPRD) for a timely conversation on how a systems approach to agrifood finance can help donors and investors align constrained resources to catalyse system-wide impact.
The 49th Session of the IFAD Governing Council. The 2026 overarching theme is “From Farm to Market: Investing with Young Entrepreneurs” and will also mark the launch of the IFAD14 Consultation, offering a platform for Governors to exchange perspectives on key priorities for future strategic action.
The 56th Annual Meeting of the World Economic Forum convenes world leaders from government, business, civil society and academia in Davos to engage in forward-looking discussions to address global issues and set priorities. The theme for this year's annual meeting is "Spirit of Dialogue".
At CFS53, the GDPRD, FAO, and IFAD convened a high-level side event on the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations to address a critical question: how to mobilize and align investments to transform agrifood systems for a sustainable future.
12 December, 14:30-15:30 CET | “The Future of Youth in Agrifood Systems: Tackling the Double Challenge of Access to Land and Finance” is a joint session by the Thematic Working Groups on Land and Rural Youth Employment that explores the central dilemma limiting youth engagement: how young people can access land without finance, and finance without land.
Why invest in agrifood systems now? In this interview, IFAD’s Federica Diamanti explains why financing food systems is an investment in prosperity, climate resilience, and stability — and why scaling it is more urgent than ever.
The Global Donor Platform for Rural Development is a vibrant partnership, advocacy and knowledge network of key donors focusing on food security and rural development.
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