The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of India have launched a transformative eight-year rural development strategy, committing to scale investment, strengthen climate resilience and accelerate inclusive agricultural growth across the country’s vast rural economies.

The new Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) 2026–2033 was unveiled at the IFAD–India Partnership for Rural Prosperity event held at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi on April 12, bringing together senior government representatives, IFAD leadership, development partners and private sector actors.

The strategy sets two core objectives: enhancing the social, economic and climatic resilience of rural communities; and strengthening knowledge systems to scale proven models domestically and share them across the Global South.

The announcement marks a pivotal expansion of one of IFAD’s largest country partnerships. Across 35 projects, USD 1.36 billion in IFAD financing has mobilised more than twice as much from partners, for a total investment of USD 4.2 billion.

A senior IFAD delegation led by Associate Vice-President Donal Brown held talks with officials from India’s Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, and Ministry of Rural Development. Discussions covered smallholder support, digital agriculture, climate-resilient crops such as millets, and expanding farmer producer organisations.

Brown said the partnership goes beyond individual projects and focuses on building systems that connect institutions, finance, infrastructure and markets for long-term rural development, IFAD said in a statement.

The strategy places significant emphasis on strengthening grassroots institutions including self-help groups, farmer producer organisations and cooperatives, expected to play a key role in linking finance, technology, infrastructure and markets.

On the financing front, IFAD signed a strategic partnership with NABARD on the sidelines of the event to expand rural finance and innovation. NABARD Chairman Shaji K V said the two institutions share a conviction that rural financial systems work best when built from the community up. International Fund for Agricultural Development

The new strategy also positions India as a knowledge leader in rural development, with plans to share successful models in digital agriculture, inclusive rural finance and climate-resilient value chains with partner countries across Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.

The IFAD delegation also undertook field visits to Meghalaya’s Ri-Bhoi district to review community-led initiatives under the Meghalaya Livelihoods and Access to Markets Project, and held talks with Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on future agricultural cooperation.

India and IFAD have partnered for nearly 48 years, financing 35 rural development projects worth approximately USD 4.2 billion, with six ongoing projects focused on market linkages, climate-resilient agriculture and training programmes.

“India is not only transforming its own rural economy — it is generating solutions that are relevant globally,” said Reehana Raza, IFAD Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific.