PRESENTATION ABSTRACT: "Including the Productive Poor in Agricultural Development," Cheryl Morden, International Fund for Agricultural Development

In IFAD’s experience, there are no predefined pathways out of rural poverty in today’s rapidly changing global conditions. Rural poverty reduction is possible when and where poor rural people are empowered and the right combinations of enabling policy and rural investments are in place. Pathways out of poverty are diverse. They are affected by global processes but depend on local conditions, institutions, initiatives, and investment. More attention from policymakers, more policy space for countries and rural societies to decide their own path to development, and more innovation are needed to address this diversity. This approach focuses on poor rural women and men as diverse agents of their own welfare and development, on the challenges they face in a dramatically changing environment, and on their positive experiences in overcoming them. The current challenges facing people living in rural poverty include access to and capacity to benefit from natural resources, agricultural services, remunerative and equitable markets, opportunities for non-farm employment and enterprise development, and the opportunity to participate in governance processes and policy making. The key focus, therefore, is to empower people living in rural poverty to address their challenges. Empowerment is not only about access to assets, but also about opportunities and the capacity to make effective use of this access to meet needs and aspirations. Genuine empowerment occurs when the capacity of poor rural people to find new, effective solutions to their challenges is expanded in a sustainable manner and when they are able to participate effectively in decisions that affect their lives, welfare and environment.