INTERVENTION AT THE 47TH SESSION OF THE IFAD BOARD OF GOVERNORS
ROME, FROM FEBRUARY 14 TO 15, 2024
Your Excellency Mr. President
Dear Council Members
Allow me to greet you, wish you every success in the new year and greet all the governors present here.
We congratulate the President and all IFAD associates and members on the successful launch of IFAD 13.
IFAD is essential to accelerate the achievement of our agendas, which have been postponed and now raise new expectations. We hope to be able to participate in better coverage of our actions to achieve the 2030 Agenda.
Excellencies,
IFAD is an important and essential partner for Angola.
The Angola-IFAD partnership benefits from projects financed by IFAD, projects that have produced significant impacts on the food and nutritional security of our populations, promoting the increase in income of rural families and progress in the process of rural transformation in Angola , particularly for young people and women, who constitute the vast majority of the rural population.
The Angolan Government would like to take this opportunity to express its deep gratitude for the support provided. We are also grateful for the support in understanding how, with IFAD, we can have a new vision of financing our economy so impacted by the crises since Covid, political transitions, debts and the restructuring of the economic, financial system and social in which we live.
The private sector is experiencing rapid and significant growth in Angola. As one of the pillars of IFAD13, we wish to continue to count on IFAD’s support in the process of strengthening the capacities of this emerging private sector.
We are asking for support to increase the volume of resources to increasingly benefit communities. We are counting on this support to achieve greater impacts on the diversification of the economy throughout the value chain, in the area of agricultural mechanization, inclusiveness and the development of rural and local life.
It is necessary to support territorial integration with different municipalized local models, in order to develop agriculture, aquaculture, forestry, education and health, involved in a real transformation in Angola.
Technological innovation is crucial for the transformation of agri-food systems.
While many Member States have already made record contributions to IFAD13, we reiterate our call to ensure that Member States contribute to IFAD13 to mobilize new replacement financing of US$2 billion, a key investment to sustain the dynamics of reconstitution.
Excellency
The Regions are looking for new approaches and new projects. In addition to the Great Green Wall and industrialization with small agricultural businesses, we are carrying out a project that links the use of agricultural machinery with conservation agriculture, to improve biodiversity and natural biological processes. IFAD could be an increasingly strong partnership.
Family farming and small farmers use their own muscle power, such as hand hoes, for about 65% of the total labor needed to prepare the land.
The adoption of sustainable agricultural mechanization across the African continent will transform the lives of farmers. Sustainable agriculture will significantly contribute to the achievement of the African Union’s 25×25 Vision of the Malabo Declaration and Agenda 2063: “One of the ways in which we can achieve sustainable agricultural production in Africa is through through the adoption of the most appropriate conservation agriculture and mechanization”.
This partnership for Africa should be a platform to bring together the private sector, small industries and entrepreneurial farmers who are dedicated to livestock, using the soil, water and climate conditions, to achieve our vision of a world of Zero Hunger.
Mechanization throughout the food value chain will increase agricultural productivity, incomes, the creation of new jobs (such as services) and make agricultural systems more resilient.
The collaboration also aims to promote knowledge and support deeper dialogue on sustainable agricultural mechanization, irrigation, conservation and industry.
We propose projects to increase productivity, protect ecosystems, reduce poverty and increase the food and nutritional security of populations.
Financially, small farmers will be able to meet their needs. It is important that resilience and sustainability reach out to young people to ensure inclusion. Thus, agriculture will become an attractive option for employment and the creation of new businesses.
Finally, the southern region has several initiatives and we are organizing a Global Partnership Investment Forum for Lobito Corridor Infrastructure Finance.
Interest and support for projects guarantees benefits in terms of development and modernization of transport logistics, facilitating trade and attracting investments in various sectors, notably for the development of agriculture, industry, renewable energies and tourism.
Only transformation will truly guarantee stability, growth and hope for the future of our sub-region.
Thank you so much
Schedule for the session as of 13 February 2024 :
https://www.emb-baciadocongo.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/GC-47-L-1-Add-1-Rev-3.pdf
CV of Maria de Fátima Monteiro Jardim: