THE CLIMATE ACTION REPORT OF INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT (IFAD)...

This year is a key moment in the international debate on climate. It also represents an important year for mainstreaming climate change in IFAD’s operations, with significant changes made in key aspects of its business model to achieve corporate-level commitments on climate change-related factors.

The 2019 Climate Action Report documents the progress and achievements made in IFAD’s business model, largely through its Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP).

This report includes statistics describing climate-related finance provided as part of IFAD’s programme of loans and grants, as well as the mobilization of supplementary climate and environmental financing. It reports the screening of client countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) and how they feature within the country strategies developed with IFAD, as well as providing a report on ASAP’s results to date. It also includes, for the first time, detailed results from impact assessments, which explicitly integrate climate change factors into the analysis of project performance.

In 2018, IFAD launched the Climate Action Report (CAR) series, a yearly publication that provides an overview of IFAD’s work on climate change and reports on progress, challenges and achievements in areas of work with a climate focus.

The magnitude and gravity of the climate change challenge can sometimes seem unsurmountable, with no adequate means of addressing it. Even more so when combined with the urgent need to improve the livelihoods of rural people.

However, there are already examples of synergies that can bring about positive change for rural people and the organizations that seek to support them. The 2019 CAR not only demonstrates the impacts and achievements of IFAD’s work, but also provides examples from rural people themselves.

These witness statements show that climate change challenges can be successfully overcome and that the ongoing effort to overcome these challenges is paying off. They also represent the types of actions that need to be scaled-up to realize the aspirations outlined at the United Nations Climate Action Summit 2019.

IFAD hopes that this 2019 CAR serves to inform as well as inspire those in the global community and in the field working to overcome the challenges of climate change and rural poverty reduction.

Major achievements in climate change mainstreaming at IFAD in 2019:

US$244 million committed towards climate finance across 15 approved projects as of September 2019 representing 28 per cent of the total commitment made for the IFAD11 cycle. If new and upcoming projects are included, about 62 per cent of the commitment has been achieved.

US$45.7 million mobilized in supplementary finance in 2019 from climate and environmental funds: 

US$44 million has been mobilized in Unrestricted Complementary Contributions to mainstream climate change concerns in the IFAD11 portfolio from the governments of Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.

All 94 IFAD client countries’ nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to the Paris Agreement on climate change screened to identify measures relevant to IFAD operations, with 100 per cent of new IFAD country strategies include an analysis of and alignment with NDCs.

All 48 new projects in 2019 screened for climate risk assessments using SECAP procedures: 64 per cent rated as having high climate risks (leading to mandatory further assessments and response) and 36 per cent as moderate.

91 per cent of IFAD projects scored four or higher on climate change adaptation performance, surpassing the target level of 85 per cent.

As of 30 September 2019, the Adaptation for Smallholder Agriculture Programme (ASAP) has resulted in:

3,127,000 beneficiaries, of whom 640,000 were women
920,538 hectares under climate-resilient techniques.
86,000 households having improved access to water
11,300 community groups being supported in climate risk management
US$22 million supporting climate-resilient infrastructure
17 policy dialogues being conducted on mainstreaming climate change into rural development activities

Positive economic benefits for IFAD beneficiaries from climate change actions documented in seven impact assessments.The results of the impact assessment initiative for IFAD10 indicate a 13 per cent increase in resilience for project beneficiaries, with an estimated 26 million people having increased their resilience, including to climatic shocks.