The Global Mechanism

The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) was established in 1977, as an outcome of the 1974 World Food Conference.

IFAD's mission is to enable poor rural people to overcome poverty. In 1997, IFAD was selected to host the GM by a ministerial-level assembly of over 113 country Parties to the Convention.

The GM's hosting arrangement with IFAD is an enormous asset for the UNCCD. IFAD has been increasingly responsive to UNCCD objectives in its own policies, country strategies and programmatic framework. A comprehensive portfolio review spearheaded by the GM revealed that IFAD has become one of the largest sources of finance for UNCCD/SLM related operations on the ground with some 63% of IFAD's portfolio is directed towards activities in support of UNCCD objectives in drylands.

Cooperation between IFAD and the GM has so far been fruitful at both strategic and programmatic levels and will likely develop as innovative finance for example under the climate change regime becomes increasingly important to supplement investments in agriculture, forestry and rural development.
The GM's approach and the instruments it uses, such as the country engagement modalities (CEMs) and Integrated Financing Strategies (IFS), are complementary to IFAD's Country Strategic Opportunities Papers (COSOPs) and country-level project and programme design processes. Given that the Global Mechanism is mandated to support countries in scaling up finance for SLM, IFAD is the most natural partner of the GM.
In addition, the GM collaborates closely with IFAD's Global Environment and Climate Change Unit (GECC), to attract and mobilize co-financing for projects and programmes of the GEF)executed by IFAD and other agencies like the World Bank, UNDP, UNEP and the regional development banks. The GM continues to support IFAD's GECC interventions to assist countries in adopting an enhanced multi-sectoral and integrated programmatic approach.