The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) used the Regional Farmers’ Forum (FAFO) in Nairobi on Tuesday to press governments for a central role in dialogues with development agencies and farmers’ organisations.

IFAD Associate Vice‑President for Country Operations Donal Brown highlighted that roughly 95 % of the Fund’s resources flow through government channels, making state involvement essential for strengthening farmers’ organisations in rural development.

Brown urged governments to view farmers’ organisations as partners rather than opponents, stressing the need for coordinated, longer‑term interventions instead of fragmented short‑term projects.

He also called for development partners to align on shared priorities and to engage farmers’ organisations early in project design, ensuring that individual initiatives contribute to successive phases of rural transformation.

The Eastern Africa Farmers Federation (EAFF) President Elizabeth Nsimadala urged that national farmers’ organisations be formally incorporated into Country Strategic Opportunities Programmes (COSOPs), which guide IFAD‑supported activities at the country level.

Nsimadala noted that EAFF, representing over 25 million smallholder farmers, can deliver IFAD programmes through its extensive grassroots networks spanning sub‑national to continental levels.

She added that the federation is working with IFAD on a formal partnership that will include an action plan, specific deliverables and regular monitoring, with an evaluation slated for the Global Farmers Forum in Rome in 2028.

IFAD’s Managing Director of the Office of Technical Delivery, Pieternel Boogaard, said consultations with farmers have identified market access, employment and resilience as the Fund’s three strategic priorities for its next replenishment cycle.

The Forum runs alongside the ESA Business Planning Meeting from 29 September to 2 October, bringing together farmers’ organisations, IFAD and other stakeholders to shape regional rural development priorities.