New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) India showcased its achievements in rural development, women’s empowerment and climate‑resilient agriculture at the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)–India Day event in Rome, an official statement said on Friday.

India’s globally recognised model of women’s collectives, which has evolved from small savings groups into robust economic institutions, was highlighted as a key example of community-driven transformation with global relevance, the Ministry of Finance said.

Over the past 48 years, India and IFAD have supported 36 rural development projects valued at $4.4 billion, including $1.5 billion contributed directly by IFAD, the statement said.

With six ongoing projects amounting to $459 million, India currently maintains a co-financing ratio of 2.65, significantly higher than global averages, reflecting India’s strong ownership and confidence in the partnership, the Ministry said.

Flagship initiatives under the India–IFAD portfolio include enhanced market access for more than 45,000 rural enterprises in Meghalaya and expanded women’s employability and income generation in Maharashtra.

Further, improved climate resilience for three lakh small and marginal farmers in Jammu and Kashmir, and income enhancement and migration reduction efforts in Uttarakhand were other notable collaborations.

IFAD President Alvaro Lario commended India’s leadership in driving scalable, community-led rural transformation and noted that several India–IFAD initiatives have become global reference models.

Anu Mathai, Additional Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs and India’s Alternate Governor to IFAD, underlined that India’s development cooperation with the organisation is grounded in shared values of inclusivity, sustainability and community-led growth.

The partnership is “anchored in a common vision that places rural communities at the heart of development,” she said.

“IFAD has been a consistent and trusted partner in enabling India to scale innovative, equitable and sustainable rural livelihood models,” she added.

As a founding member of IFAD and one of its largest contributors, India continues to play a leading role in South–South and Triangular Cooperation, leading rural institution-building and value-chain development, the statement noted.

–IANS

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