International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has said that at least a sum of $265 billion annual investment is required to end poverty and hunger by 2030.

This revelation was made by the President of the agency Kanayo Nwanze at the ongoing UN International Conference tagged ‘Investing in Inclusive Rural Transformation: Innovative Approaches to Financing’.

According to him, the world as matter of urgency, should take urgent action to raise the estimated 265 billion dollars a year needed to achieve the first two Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty and hunger by 2030.

Nwanze lamented that despite several years and efforts geared at combating poverty, about 800 million children, women and men today still languish in abject penury.

“Despite decades of commitments and considerable effort to end poverty and hunger, nearly 800 million children, women and men still go hungry every day and an almost equal number live in extreme poverty,” Nwanze said.

He stressed the need for private sector investments in rural areas, where rates of poverty and hunger was highest adding that the financing needs for development were enormous, but with potentials for development.

“Agri-food is already a five trillion dollars sector, and it is growing. It holds tremendous promise for the private sector and for producers in developing countries,” he said.

The president therefore emphasized the need to direct investments to the rural areas noting that the majority of poor and hungry people lived in rural areas of developing countries.

“Investments need to be targeted to transform rural areas into vibrant places that offer all people the opportunity to have decent jobs and lead dignified lives free of poverty and hunger”.


https://thefarmersdiary./2017/01/27/265-billion-needed-to-end-global-poverty-and-hunger-by-2030/