Innovation and Knowledge for Investment (IK4I)
The Investment Centre provides a strong evidence-based voice on investment and finance solutions through its Innovation and Knowledge for Investment (IK4I) work.
By harnessing FAO’s technical expertise and leveraging partnerships with key financing and research institutions, the Centre fills critical knowledge gaps. It also shares the latest thinking and practical tools to support investment.
The growing body of investment knowledge products covers a wide range of topics – from scaling up agrifood investments for and by youth in Africa, to decarbonizing agrifood systems, among many others.
Latest stories
New book traces the FAO Investment Centre’s evolution over its first 60 years
19/12/2025
For over six decades, the FAO Investment Centre has helped countries invest in agrifood systems to reduce hunger, poverty and malnutrition and advance sustainable development.
A new publication, “The FAO Investment Centre, 60 Years Young, 1964–2024”, traces the Centre’s evolution over its first 60 years.
The potential of bioinputs for greener agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
17/06/2025
The Centre published Bioinputs: investment opportunities in Latin America. The report, part of FAO’s IK4I series, examines the economic viability, investment potential and social and environmental benefits of agricultural bioinputs in the region Agricultural bioinputs – products from plants, animals or microbes – are often used as supplements or natural alternatives to more synthetic agrochemicals.
Urban agriculture is experiencing a growth spurt
22/01/2025
Feeding our cities: How the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the movement of food in urban areas
02/12/2024
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way food is moved, sold and bought in urban areas worldwide – creating some new trends and accelerating others.
Latest publications
Country Investment Highlights
Strengthening smallholder producers' skills and market access: Productive Alliance Programme in Chile
09/2021
This study analyses the impact of Chile´s Productive Alliance Programme (PAP) in terms of human capital development among small farmers. The programme,...
Investment Briefs
Investment planning for supply to agro-industrial parks: Lessons from sub-Saharan Africa
09/2021
This brief highlights potential challenges faced to increase agricultural production and improve supply chains when setting up agro-industrial parks,...
Annual Reviews
FAO Investment Centre - 2020 at a glance
07/2021
Making food systems more sustainable is not just about reducing carbon footprints, but also about creating jobs, reducing inequalities, improving efficiencies...
Country Investment Highlights
Investing in rural households through community promoters - The Haku Wiñay/Noa Jayatai programme in Peru
07/2021
This case study report was written as a part of the Agriculture Human Capital Investment Study, funded by FAO Investment Centre and with the support...
Country Investment Highlights
Professionalizing farmer organizations through private sector-led models: Capacity development initiatives in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire
06/2021
One of the nine featured case studies, funded by the Agribusiness Market Ecosystems Alliance with support from IFAD, explores three private sector-led...
Country Investment Highlights
Investing in youth vocational training: Professional training programme in the agropastoral and fisheries sectors in Cameroon
06/2021
One of the nine featured case studies is the Support Programme for the Renovation and Development of Professional Training in the Agropastoral and Fisheries...
Investing in farmers through public–private–producer partnerships: Rural Empowerment and Agricultural Development Scaling-up Initiative in Indonesia
06/2021
One of the nine featured case studies is the Rural Empowerment and Agricultural Development Scaling-up Initiative in Indonesia. This programme adds...
Directions in Investment
Investing in farmers: Agriculture human capital investment strategies
06/2021
A global study carried out by the FAO Investment Centre and the International Food Policy Research Institute, with support from the CGIAR Research Programme...
Country Investment Highlights
Investing in women livestock advisers and farmers: Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth Programme in India
06/2021
One of the nine featured case studies is the Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth Programme in India. This case explores investment in...
Directions in Investment
Potential brewing for Azerbaijani and Georgian tea industries
06/2021
With an expected stronger demand for green tea and health and wellness teas as well as for high-quality black tea in developed markets, this brief suggests...
Investment Toolkits
Making climate-sensitive investments in agriculture: approaches, tools and selected experiences
06/2021
This comprehensive knowledge product provides investment practitioners with practical reference material on integrating climate risk considerations...
Directions in Investment
Agri-hire in sub-Saharan Africa: Business models for investing in sustainable mechanization
06/2021
For a better understanding of how agricultural mechanization hire service provision can contribute to agricultural and rural development, this publication...