Nigeria, Angola, Mozambique, Tanzania, and Zambia are among the countries scheduled to benefit from $41.1 million fund packaged by United States Department. It is the US-led Vision for Adapted Soils and Crops (VACS) multi-donor trust fund, which is hosted by UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). This was disclosed at the UN climate summit on land degradation and desertification (COP16), following the announcement by the US State Department to disburse the fund.
Alvaro Lario, President of IFAD said“This generous contribution bolsters IFAD’s efforts to support small-scale farmers on the frontlines in their struggle to combat land degradation.” “It’s going to take all of us – the private sector, farmers, NGOs, researchers, and governments to build a lasting foundation for improved food security. We, the United States, IFAD, and all the members of the VACS movement remain committed to strengthening our food system by expanding access to climate-adapted opportunity crops and integrating them with sustainable land management practices that build healthy soils.” said Cary Fowler, U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security, and World Food Prize 2024 laureate. Lario added, “The VACS initiative has become a global movement for sustainable food security and nutrition, combining science and partnerships.”
He said, “By blending VACS grants with IFAD concessional loans, we can scale sustainable practices that reclaim degraded lands, support biodiversity and build resilience.”
To scale up solutions for soil health, crop diversity, and the overall sustainability of agricultural systems, the IFAD President called for strengthened partnerships with key stakeholders, including the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust), the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), and the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR).
Investments will target sustainable land restoration, soil health enhancement, and the development with partners of climate-resilient crops tailored to local needs. The focus includes robust seed systems, efficient crop management, and gender-inclusive agricultural advice to strengthen value chains and promote sustainable food systems. “Partnerships are the single most efficient route to achieve systemic change –restoring millions of hectares and stabilising vulnerable economies at a scale that would be impossible working alone,” said Lario. The President of IFAD also urged increased public and private investments in land management, targeted at small-scale farmers that can be leveraged by IFAD’s innovative financing mechanisms.
