As global leaders convene for the UN Food Systems Summit +4 Stocktake, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is calling for urgent action to prioritize rural people and small-scale farmers in the global effort to transform food systems.

“If we want to transform global food systems, we must start with the rural people who feed one-third of the world from small plots,” said Alvaro Lario, IFAD President. “Investing in these small-scale food producers —especially women and youth — is the most direct path to building food systems that can feed the world, provide decent work, and protect our planet,” he added.

Despite growing global awareness of the need to transform food systems, progress remains uneven. Small-scale farmers, who produce up to 30 per cent of the world’s food, continue to face major barriers, including that 90 per cent lack access to affordable financial services.

In today’s challenging global context—marked by slow growth, climate shocks, and multiple crises—the world’s 48 least developed countries, including 33 in Africa, face the greatest difficulty in mobilizing resources for food systems transformation. In response, IFAD is directing over half of its core resources to sub-Saharan Africa and 60 per cent to the continent.

To meet the challenge, IFAD is championing innovative financing solutions, including blended finance, new funding mechanisms, and stronger partnerships with governments, the private sector, and development organizations. These efforts aim to unlock greater investment in rural development and ensure that financial flows reach those who need them most.

“Evidence is essential to enable investments that are smarter and partnerships that are more ambitions. This is how we can best align and focus our resources to drive inclusive and sustainable food systems,” said Lario.

At the Stocktake, IFAD is urging all stakeholders to raise their ambition and accelerate action. Transforming food systems is not just about increasing production—it’s about ensuring equity, sustainability, and economic opportunity for the rural people who feed the world.