On February 13, H.E. Ambassador Nosipho Jezile, Chairperson of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), addressed the Eighth Global Meeting of the IFAD Farmers' Forum in Rome. She actively participated in the working session entitled "Expanding smallholders' access to finance to invest in more sustainable food production and access markets".

During the session, the Chair highlighted the persistent challenges smallholders face in accessing credit, including high interest rates, limited access for youth and women, and the need for tangible collateral to secure funds. 

Innovative financing instruments, such as the IFAD-sponsored Agri-Business Capital (ABC) Fund, Babban Gona in Nigeria, and the One Acre Fund for Africa, have shown commendable progress in addressing these issues. However, the Chair emphasized the need for dynamic and effective solutions to empower smallholder farmers to navigate evolving economic trends and overcome constraints.

Ambassador Jezile highlighted the impact of supporting smallholders' access to finance, linking it to benefits such as food security, poverty reduction, social development, job creation, and the promotion of gender and youth equality. Stressing the importance of a stable economy and sustainable environmental practices, she presented the CFS as a prominent platform for finding solutions to the challenges faced by smallholders.

Additionally, the Chair underlined the role of the CFS in providing solutions through its policy recommendations on Investing in Smallholder Agriculture for Food Security and Nutrition and the Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems. In doing so, the Chair shared a bright and constructive vision for addressing the critical issues surrounding smallholder agriculture.