Overview
The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) was launched in 2010 by the G20, in response to the 2008-09 food price crisis, to increase both public and private investments in agriculture. It provides additional financial and technical resources designed to reduce poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, and supports resilient and sustainable agriculture systems in low-income countries.
In the face of the dual challenges of climate change and food security, GAFSP’s mandate is as relevant today as it was a decade ago. Today, GAFSP is recognized as key global financing vehicle for catalytic investments across the entire agriculture value chain. By investing in smallholder farmers and their communities, GAFSP is helping progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG2 (Zero Hunger).
How We Work
GAFSP pools donor funds and allocates it where it is most needed and most likely to make a large impact. GAFSP finances technically sound, inclusive projects in line with country priorities and private sector opportunities. GAFSP reinforces country ownership and country-led development and channels its investments through established, multilateral agencies that have the necessary expertise and proven sectoral experience to guide projects to success.
GAFSP projects are led by governments, private sector, and civil society organizations (CSOs). To ensure quality, GAFSP has partnered with the world’s leading development institutions to enable access to their experience, capacity and quality, and to assist participants in preparing, implementing, and coordinating relevant and successful projects. GAFSP participants select the expert partner they would like to work with to meet their national goals.
10 Years of Impact
GAFSP offers a range of public and private investment tools including grants, concessional loans, blended finance, technical assistance and advisory services. To date, the GAFSP portfolio has supported close to 15 million farmers and their families to achieve higher agricultural productivity, increased incomes, and improved nutrition security. GASFP investments also directly address climate change through mitigation and adaptation technologies. By assisting local smallholder farmers to proactively adapt to impending climate threats, GAFSP staves off and mitigates an increase in hunger and malnutrition for the rural poor.
Focus on Partnerships
GAFSP is collectively governed by agricultural development stakeholders with donors and recipients having equal voting rights. Smallholder farmers’ organizations, CSOs, and international development partners like multilateral development banks and the Rome-based agencies contribute their knowledge and expertise and participate in all decision-making alongside donors and recipients. This unique setup allows GAFSP to align partners, harmonize their approaches behind a common framework, and foster mutual accountability, information exchange, and learning within and beyond the program.