INTERNATIONAL FUND FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

(IFAD) United Nations specialized agency that supports increased food production in poor communities. The World Food Conference adopted a resolution in November 1974 that brought IFAD into existence in June 1976. IFAD's members fall into three categories: Category I, industrialized countries, includes most of the developed nations of western Europe as well as Japan, the United States, and others; Category II, petroleum-exporting developing countries, includes the major petroleum producers of the Middle East, Africa, and elsewhere; Category III includes more than 100 recipient developing countries. Countries in Categories I and II are obliged to provide revenue for the fund; countries in Category III may contribute but are not obliged to do so, though recipient countries must be members of IFAD. IFAD is committed to bringing about worldwide recognition that, as well as being a technical problem, food production is determined by both political and social issues. In view of this attitude, IFAD assists only underdeveloped agricultural countries and their poorer communities. The fund's priorities are three-fold: first, to raise food production in developing countries; second, to employ farmers who are either poor or landless; third, to reduce malnutrition. IFAD's headquarters are in Rome, Italy.