Agriculture and Food

Healthy, sustainable and inclusive food systems are critical to achieve the world’s development goals. Agricultural development is one of the most powerful tools to end extreme poverty, boost shared prosperity, and feed a projected 10 billion people by 2050. Growth in the agriculture sector is two to four times more effective in raising incomes among the poorest compared to other sectors.

Agriculture is also crucial to economic growth: accounting for 4% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and in some least developing countries, it can account for more than 25% of GDP.

But agriculture-driven growth, poverty reduction, and food security are at risk: Multiple shocks – from COVID-19 related disruptions to extreme weather, pests, and conflicts – are impacting food systems, resulting in higher food prices and growing hunger. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has accelerated a global food crisis that is driving millions more into extreme poverty and hunger. Up to 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, which is 122 million more than before the COVID-19 pandemic. Of these, a quarter of a billion (258 million) faced acute food insecurity.

The growing impact of climate change could further cut crop yields, especially in the world’s most food-insecure regions. At the same time, our food systems are responsible for about 30% of greenhouse gas emissions.

Current food systems also threaten the health of people and the planet and generate unsustainable levels of pollution and waste. One third of food produced globally is either lost or wasted. Addressing food loss and waste is critical to improving food and nutrition security, as well as helping to meet climate goals and reduce stress on the environment.

Risks associated with poor diets are also the leading cause of death worldwide. Millions of people are either not eating enough or eating the wrong types of food, resulting in a double burden of malnutrition that can lead to illnesses and health crises. Food insecurity can worsen diet quality and increase the risk of various forms of malnutrition, potentially leading to undernutrition as well as people being overweight and obese. An estimated 3 billion people in the world cannot afford a healthy diet.

Last Updated: Sep 19, 2023

The World Bank Group provides knowledge, advice, and financial resources in low- and middle-income countries to transform food systems to reduce poverty and achieve green, resilient, and inclusive development.

Our work in food and agriculture focuses on: 

• Food and nutrition security, where we work with efforts to share information, and to rapidly provide resources where they are needed, while helping countries design the long-term reforms needed to build resilient food and nutrition systems.
• Climate-smart agriculture by working with client governments to provide solutions that address global climate priorities, while recognizing national contexts and development objectives.
• Data-driven digital agriculture by expand the frontier of financing and expertise for digital agriculture.
• Mobilizing capital for development in agriculture & food. We identify and leverage growth areas for productive investments, focusing on innovation and impact. And we design projects to ensure that financing boosts sustainable productivity gains, reaches smallholders and SMEs, and creates jobs to end poverty and hunger.
• Public policy and expenditure by working with governments to facilitate the adoption of more sustainable approaches, technologies, and practices, alongside policies that promote public and private sector investment.
• Sustainable and health diets to ensure that food can support a healthy population.

For fiscal year 2023, a total of $5,9 billion in new IBRD/IDA commitments to agriculture and related sectors has been approved. During that same period, investments, as part of new agriculture and food projects, directly supporting climate action have amounted to $3 billion.

 As part of a comprehensive, global response to the food and nutrition crises, the World Bank is scaling up its short- and long-term responses. In May 2022, the World Bank made a commitment of making available $30 billion over a period of 15 months to tackle the crisis. We have surpassed that goal. The World Bank have scaled up our food and nutrition security response, to now making $45 billion available through a combination of $22 billion in new lending and $23 billion from existing portfolio. Our food and nutrition security portfolio now spans across 90 countries. It includes both short term interventions such as expanding social protection, also longer-term resilience such as boosting productivity and climate-smart agriculture.

Increasingly, the Bank supports country efforts to transform their food systems by taking a holistic look at public policies and spending for agriculture and food. A new Multi-Donor Trust Fund, Food Systems 2030, provides a platform for change in this area.

Last Updated: Sep 19, 2023

In Armenia, the Bank supported 285,000 people in livestock farming and pasture management improvement. Under the project, more than 110,000 heads of livestock–or about 17% of Armenia’s total livestock–received improved animal health services.

In Azerbaijan, the Agricultural Competitiveness Improvement Project helped small and medium agribusinesses improve productivity and sales by about 60% and 70% respectively, supported 70% of all livestock in the country through its animal disease-control program, and invested in seed research and processing to improve seed quality and production. The project also supported the privatization program on veterinary services, and provided financial support to over 200 agricultural enterprises. The project created 3,000 new jobs in the sector.

For the past 16 years, Bolivia has been developing a strategy to improve agricultural production and marketing through the Productive Alliances model, which links small rural producers with markets, facilitating their participation in value chains, and access to technical assistance and technology for better market access. Currently, more than 2,600 productive alliances have been implemented, benefiting 107,308 producer families.

In Bhutan, a Bank-supported project supports the government's efforts to reduce rural poverty and high levels of malnutrition through climate-smart agriculture. Irrigation technology and greenhouses introduced through the project have helped farmers to increase their access to local and export markets. More than 6,500 people have increased the quality and quantity of produce like rice, maize, potato, vegetables, quinoa, citrus, apples, and potatoes, as well as high-value spices such as cardamom and ginger. 

In Burkina Faso, from 2000-2018, the Bank supported the Programme National de Gestion des Terroirs which decentralized rural development and built local capacity to deliver basic services. The program also invested in water and soil conservation, agroforestry, and energy-saving stoves and other environmental technologies, helping to protect more than 200,000 hectares.

The Emergency Food Crisis Response Project in Central African Republic was designed to increase food production and build resilience among smallholder farmers and food-insecure households in affected areas. In its first year, the project reached 329,000 farmers with agricultural assets and inputs. Additionally, food crop production has surged, with 28,800 metric tons produced, representing a 125% increase in crop production. The project has also trained 8,560 vulnerable households, providing them with post-harvest handling equipment to help reduce losses and improve the quality of their produce. These achievements have led to improved food availability and income for participating farmers and are expected to have a positive impact on food security in the country.

In China, since 2014, a Bank-supported project has helped expand climate-smart agriculture. Better water-use efficiency on 44,000 hectares of farmland and new technologies have improved soil conditions and boosted production of rice by 12% and maize by 9%. More than 29,000 farmers’ cooperatives report higher incomes and increased climate resilience.

In Colombia, since 2010, the adoption of environmentally friendly Silvopastoral Production Systems for over 4,100 cattle ranches has converted 100,522 hectares of degraded pastures into more productive landscapes and captured 1,565,026 tons of CO2. 

In Cote d’Ivoire, between 2013 and 2017, the Agriculture Sector Project boosted the productivity of 200,000 farmers and rehabilitated 6,500 kilometers of rural roads which allowed farmers to more easily bring their products to market and reduce post-harvest losses. To aid the cashew industry, the Bank also supported a research program that helped disseminate 209 genotypes of high-performing trees and establish 18 nurseries. The Bank-financed project also helped leverage $27.5 million in private investment to boost productivity on at least 26,500 hectares.

In Croatia, the Bank supported the Ministry of Agriculture in building a National Agriculture and Rural Development Strategy that connects country needs and the EU Common Agricultural Policy.

In Djibouti, the Bank supported the construction of 112 water mobilization units, which improved water access for 9,762 households. The Bank also helped introduce hydroponic agriculture to 30 beneficiaries, rehabilitated 96 hectares of irrigated farmland, and produced 14,000 seedlings. 

In Ethiopia, since 2015 a project has helped 2.3 million farmers with agricultural support services, agricultural research, small-scale irrigation, and market infrastructure development. In addition, almost 600,000 livestock and aquaculture farmers have been provided with various services (animal health, feeding, breeding and commercialization) and another 425,000 pastoralists and agro-pastoralists have been supported to build livelihoods resilience in the lowlands parts of the country.

In Honduras, since 2010, 12,878 small farmers– 27 percent woman–have used productive alliances to improve productivity and access to markets, which has leveraged US$33.5 million in finance from commercial banks and microfinance institutions. With support of the project, gross sales of producer organizations rose by 24.3%. Also, support to Honduras’ Dry Corridor Alliance has helped 12,202 households implement food security and agricultural business plans, and improved agricultural yields, nutrition, and food diversity of project beneficiaries.

In Bihar, India, the Bihar Transformative Project has reached over 12.7 million women and their families since 2016. Women have saved over $225.71 million and leveraged $3.2 billion from the formal financial sector. Nearly 3 million households benefited from additional income from diversified and enhanced livelihood opportunities. In addition, the project has promoted conservation agriculture through system of rice intensification, direct seeded rice, integrated nutrient management practices with more than 950,000 households in 390,058 acres. The project has promoted mechanization in 116,357 acres through 228 custom hiring centers for efficient seed and fertilizer placement.

In India, the Assam Agribusiness and Rural Transformation Project supported over 400,000 farm families and 1,270 businesses and over 100 of industry associations and producer organizations in improving their productivity and incomes and helping develop new marketing channels since 2017.

Since 2013, Bank support has strengthened Indonesia’s agricultural research system. Thirty-three Assessment Institute for Agricultural Technology centers now have the capacity to develop improved rice, vegetable, and fruit varieties. The project has supported 161 agricultural researchers through degree programs; upgraded 58 labs and 54 research stations; and funded 1,134 research activities, including 44 international research collaboration activities. 

In Jamaica, an ongoing project since 2000 is strengthening value chains emphasizing on the linkages between producers/service providers and buyers, to improve economies of scale for producer organizations, small agricultural enterprises and tourism clusters, and to mainstream climate resilience. The project introduces counter-seasonal production methods and technologies such as greenhouses, climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land and water management practices, small scale productive infrastructures such as cold storage facilities, local roads, alternative energy sources, among others. Around 9,000 people will benefit directly from these investments, of which 40% will be women and 30% percent youths.

In Kenya, since 2016, nearly one million farmers–more than 60% women–are boosting their productivity and accessing markets. Through partnership with 15 agriculture tech startups, digital technologies are being leveraged to help nearly 50,000 farmers deliver products to consumers—which has proved especially critical during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In Kosovo, the Bank provided 775 grants to farmers and 103 grants to agri-processors to increase production capacities and enhance market competitiveness in the livestock and horticulture sector. This was done through upgrading facilities, adopting new technologies, and introducing food safety and environmental standards. Further, support was provided for the rehabilitation of irrigation schemes covering an area of 7,750 hectares which had an impact on the production, yield, quality, and variety of products cultivated in the area.

In Madagascar, since 2016, the Bank has boosted the productivity of over 130,000 farmers. Sixty-thousand hectares of irrigated rice fields have been rehabilitated. The Bank also supported the cocoa sector through research, the development of certified seeds, and promotion of improved production and processing techniques. This allowed 4,000 cocoa producers to increase their incomes and increase production and export volumes by 50%. The Bank also financed the country’s largest land rights registration, facilitating the delivery of over 200,000 land certificates to farmers. 

Between 2016 and 2021, the intervention of the Sahel regional support project in Mauritania offered assets and services to more than 400 thousand farmers/pastoralists, including nearly 30% of women. It has made available to these agro-pastoralists more than 1.9 million hectare of land under sustainable management practices, in addition to the construction of 133 vaccination parks and the realization of 118 water points (wells and boreholes) as well as other infrastructure of valorization and trade of animals.

In Moldova, since 2012, the Bank has helped more than 7,500 farmers gain access to local and regional high-value markets for fresh fruit and vegetables and boosted land productivity through the promotion of sustainable land management practices on 120,000 hectares of farmland.

In Montenegro, since 2009, the Bank has supported almost 4,000 farmers working on orchards, vineyards, livestock and aromatic plants, 224 agro-processors, and 59 farmers working on processing on-farm complying with the European Union requirements for food safety and 278 agricultural households adopting agro-environmental measures, improving their competitiveness and sustainability.

In Nepal, the Bank-supported Nepal Poverty Alleviation Fund helped small farmers and rural poor people access microcredit, assets, services, and training. Since 2004, it has created over 30,000 community organizations and had an impact on more than 900,000 households. 

In Nicaragua, between 2015 and 2019, food security in 563 communities along the Caribbean Coast was enhanced, benefiting 75,000 people. Nearly 8,400 families adopted improved agricultural technology and productivity increased by 65%.

In Pakistan, in 2022, in response to the flood’s emergency, about 230,000 smallholder farmers received cash transfer support to winter cropping, more than 500 watercourses damaged by the floods were rehabilitated, 27,000 tents and 2.2 million mosquito nets were purchased. Women were provided with poultry and small ruminants restocking, tunnel farming as well as kitchen garden kits.

In Paraguay, since 2008, 20,863 farmers increased their agricultural income by at least 30% and 18,951 adopted improved agricultural practices, boosting the productivity of their land.

In Peru, since 2013, nearly 600 agricultural innovations have been identified and tested with the help of competitive matching grants. More than 110 of these innovations have been validated at the farm level, and as of September 2020, one or more of them have been adopted by nearly 32,000 producers.

In the Philippines, since 2015, the Bank helped raise rural incomes, enhance farm and fishery productivity, improve market access and mainstream institutional and operational reforms, as well as science-based planning for agricultural commodities in 81 provinces. The project has benefitted a total of 323,501 people–46% of them women–with farm roads, irrigation, and agricultural enterprise projects, boosting incomes by up to 36%. 

In Rwanda, between 2010 and 2018, the Bank helped support more than 410,000 farmers–50% of them women–in improving their agricultural production by developing over 7,400 hectares for marshland irrigation, providing hillside irrigation on over 2,500 hectares, and improving soil conservation and erosion on more than 39,000 hectares of hillside. Maize yields, rice yields, and potato yields have all more than doubled and around 2.5 tons of vegetables are exported to Europe every week.

 In Tajikistan, the Bank supported the establishment of 545 farmer groups in horticulture value chains, specifically apricot, apple, pear, lemon, cucumber, and tomato, and dairy value chain benefiting a total of 13,516 farmers out of which 48% were women. The Bank also supported the establishment of 342 productive partnerships benefitting 4,340 smallholder farmers. A total of 21,882 beneficiaries achieved an increase in commercial activity. The project supported training for 13, 516 farmers, on value chain development.

In Tunisia, the Bank helped 113 remote rural villages improve land management practices on 37,000 hectares of land to increase productivity and improve 930 kilometers of rural roads serving some 160 villages. 

In Uruguay, since 2014, climate-smart agriculture techniques have been adopted on 2.7 million hectares and adopted by 5,541 farmers, providing for a carbon sequestration potential of up to 9 million tons of CO2 annually.

In Uganda, since 2015, the Bank is leveraging local agri-tech startups to help 150,000 farmers receive electronic vouchers for inputs and services. Scaling up Uganda’s agri-tech startup services will enable 450,000 farmers to hire tractors, use solar-powered irrigation, receive soil test results, receive mobile-based precision agricultural advice, access timely credit through mobile wallets, and sell their harvests through e-marketplace platforms.

In Uzbekistan, the Horticulture Development Project has helped In create In Uzbekistan Horticulture Development Project has helped create, 34,520 jobs, including 13,124 for women; increase beneficiary productivity by 24% and profitability by 124%, including through entry into new export markets. Under the Livestock Sector Development Project, the share of improved and high yielding livestock breeds increased by 98.7%; milk and meat production increased by 33% and 38% respectively. In addition, the project created a total of 21,698 new jobs.

In Vietnam, since 2010, the Bank has promoted sustainable livelihoods by helping develop 9,000 “common interest groups” comprising over 15,500 households and partnering them with agricultural enterprises. The Bank also helped over 20,000 farmers improve their livestock production and benefited an additional 130,000 people through capacity building in food safety. 

Under the West African Agricultural Productivity Program, the Bank supported a research and development effort that promoted technology generation, dissemination, and support to local farming systems in 13 ECOWAS countries. The project reached over 2.7 million beneficiaries, 41% of whom were women. It also generated 112 technologies that reached over 1,850,000 hectares.

Last Updated: Mar 31, 2023

The World Bank works with a range of partners to achieve ambitious development goals: transforming food systems, boosting food security and empowering smallholder farmers, to realize zero hunger and poverty by 2030. 

The World Bank Group is a joint convener, with the G7 Presidency, of the Global Alliance for Food Security (GAFS). A key outcome of the Global Alliance is the Global Food and Nutrition Security Dashboard, a key tool to fast-track a rapid response to the unfolding global food security crisis, designed to consolidate and present up-to-date data on food crisis severity, track global food security financing, and make available global and country-level research and analysis to improve coordination of the policy and financial response to the crisis.

The Bank hosts a  Multi-Donor Trust Fund, Food Systems 2030, that helps countries build better food systems, fostering healthy people, a healthy planet and healthy economies. The Trust Fund aims to deliver improved livelihoods and affordable, and nutritious diets for all, and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals of zero poverty and hunger by 2030 and the climate goals of the Paris Agreement. Food Systems 2030 provides advice and analytical products to underpin policy options, funds to pilot innovative approaches, and information to build support for change in different country contexts. It engages with the private sector by supporting the design, piloting and de-risking of innovative public-private partnerships that advance development and climate goals.   

The Global Agriculture and Food Security Program, a multilateral financing platform, is dedicated to improving food and nutrition security worldwide. Launched by the  G20 in the wake of the global response to the 2007–08 food price crisis, GAFSP works to build sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems in the world’s poorest and most vulnerable countries. Since its inception in 2010, the Program has mobilized more than US$2 billion in donor funds to reach more than 16.6 million people. GAFSP provides financial and technical resources – investment grants, technical assistance, concessional finance, and advisory services – to demand-driven projects along the food chain to accelerate the transformation of food systems at scale.

The World Bank leads the Food Systems, Land use and Restoration Global Platform (FOLUR), financed by the Global Environment Facility, in partnership with UNDP, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the Global Landscapes Forum and the Food and Land-use Coalition. FOLUR is a $345 million, seven-year program that aims to improve the health and sustainability of landscapes that produce the world’s food. FOLUR targets sustainable production landscapes in 27 country projects for eight major commodities (livestock, cocoa, coffee, maize, palm oil, rice, soy, and wheat).

The World Bank chairs the System Council of CGIAR, a global partnership that advances cutting-edge science to reduce rural poverty, increase food security, improve human health and nutrition, and ensure sustainable management of natural resources.

For more information, contact Clare Murphy-McGreevey on cmurphymcgreevey@worldbank.org.

Last Updated: Sep 19, 2023