IFAD social reporting blog: migration

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Adapting to climate change in Morocco

Posted by Beate Stalsett Tuesday, November 15, 2016 0 comments

Written by Nerina Muzurovic

©IFAD/N. Muzurovic

A changing climate and unpredictable weather have an enormous impact on food production. When people can’t grow food due to changing weather patterns, they migrate, threatening food security of entire countries.

The changes in the Al Haouz province of Morocco provide a good example of how local farmers’ resilience to climate change can be improved thanks to innovative technologies. Better irrigation has led to higher crop yields, increased available drinking water, and improved job opportunities for young people living in the area.

An irrigation system changes the land—and lives

A decade ago, this stretch of land in a small village of Sidi Badhaj, located in Morocco’s mountainous Al Haouz region was completely barren: fallow ground, empty and dry.

In 2009, an IFAD-financed project provided technical support to introduce drip irrigation technology, here. The new system allowed farmers to irrigate both the olive trees that are their main source of income, and the vegetables - fava beans, melons, green peas - that feed their families.

Just a year after the irrigation system was installed, farmers were already seeing results. Thanks to the irrigation, they no longer have to depend on the rain, and are now able to water their fields year round, including during the dry summer. Incomes stabilized, and migration decreased. The new vegetation also created a new micro-climate: The earth became softer and less dry, thanks to the plants, which also produce more oxygen.

Now, local farmers would like to further improve the irrigation system by installing solar water pumps.

Climate resilience brings jobs back to rural areas in Morocco

According to 30 year-old Mr Abdelatif El Badaoui, Treasurer of the Amghrass cooperative,
“Young people used to migrate to the city for work,” he said. “Now, they can
help provide support to farmers.”
©IFAD/N. Muzurovic

The Agricultural Value Chain Development Project in the Mountain Zones of Al-Haouz Province also introduced a specially-designed model that trained young people to become agricultural service providers. The approach was effective: farmers are now paying for agricultural support themselves. As a result, young service people are able to earn 228,000 Moroccan dirham (equivalent to 22,000 euro) for four months of work. Today, some 17 youth are employed by the Sidi Badhaj cooperative as agricultural service providers: seven women and ten men. There are seven service provider groups (équipes metiers) in total in the nearby rural communes.

Agricultural support providers are organized through an agricultural cooperative. This has had an important impact on young people, who used to have to migrate to the city in order to find work.

Now, young people are trained by the provincial directorate of agriculture. In addition to vocational training, they also receive technical equipment and machinery. This allows them, in return, to provide support to farmers. They help with everything from equipment to work that directly involves the olive trees: from treatment (to protect the trees from getting sick) to pruning.

As a result of their services, the productivity of olives has improved. For example, some 1,200 hectares of olive trees have been planted since 2010. Before, farmers in the area produced 20 kg per tree; today, production has increased to 120 kg per tree. The quality of oil has also improved. Some 90 per cent of the producers are adopting new approaches to pruning, collecting olives and storing them. Electrical machinery to collect olives, as well as scissors, are among the equipment provided by the project.

Now that the farmers’ awareness of the benefits of the services of the young service providers has increased, many have entered into yearly contracts with the young people. The lives of the young service providers have improved, and they are not thinking of migrating.

Do women and men do the same type of work? “Before women used to work at home, and now they are participating increasingly in these activities as a family activity," explained one of the farmers. The work that women do include: collection, pruning, plant protection treatment, fertilizer application, and other tasks.

Producers, we learned, are interested in renewable energies. They have provided a business plan for installation of solar water pumps to replace the motor pumps they are now using.

What about climate change? “Everything used to be dry,” said Mr Abdelatif El Badaoui. “Now, thanks to micro-climactic change due to vegetation and green cover, the rain has come back.” Still, locals are noticing decreasing and infrequent precipitation, drought and floods.

Adaptation to climate change and soil conservation

The ravines, at this site, are a perfect example of soil erosion—a good point of contrast to the visible
improvement of the plant cover nearby.
©IFAD/N. Muzurovic

A visit to Amghrass highlighted project impact on climate change and soil conservation. Originally, this area was used as grazing land. However, it became eroded, and farmers no longer earned income from pastoral activities and livestock here.

Before the project, this site was an eroded, marginal zone. However, with the IFAD-funded project, terracing was introduced, which allowed for water retention and cultivation of olive trees.

The ravines, at this site, are a perfect example of soil erosion—a good point of contrast to the visible improvement of the plant cover nearby.

The overall land coverage of the project is 200,000 hectares, benefiting 700 rural people on 4 to 6 hectares of land.

How has life changed for people in Al Haouz?

Ms Tahra Ait Benazou, cooperative Tiwizi (first one on the right),
“The young people are here, now. I have three sons. They are here
with me, and they work in the field and in the cooperative.”
©IFAD/A. Valentini

The project owes much of its success to the participatory approach it adopted for implementation, in which local communities were first asked to identify their needs. These needs were then supported by the IFAD project, whose irrigation system helped locals improve their lives, helped reduce poverty and helped preserve the environment.

There is no arguing, that climate change has made itself felt, here: “There is one good year in every five years,” said one farmer. “Last year was a dry year.”

“All our projects are designed by and for beneficiaries. Thus, they are naturally adapted to local and cultural contexts. What we have found is that the people supported by our projects need to see with their own eyes that there will be a benefit to the type of services they would receive. They need to be convinced that there will be results before they decide to join in the activities. Once they are convinced, they are in the driving seat,” said Ms Khalida Bouzar, Director of the Near East, North Africa and Europe Division.

Ms Najia Ghouat (third from the left): “When my daughter needs to buy a book, she no longer
asks her father for money. She comes to me. The work at the cooperative gave me
a greater sense of responsibility.”
©IFAD/N. Muzurovic

On 13 November 2016, IFAD organized a press trip on the margins of the COP22 to three selected project sites in the Al Haouz province, about 50 km south of Marrakech. Reporters from international and national media outlets joined the trip, including Thomson Reuters, Associated Press, AFP, ORF, and VTM, as well as local TV and print media.

Fisheries and aquaculture in a changing climate

Posted by Ricci Symons Friday, November 11, 2016 0 comments

Fisheries and aquaculture are important contributors to food security and livelihoods. Fish provide essential nutrition for 3 billion people and 50 per cent of protein and essential minerals for 400 million people, mainly in poor countries (FAO, 2014). Many poor rural people rely on fisheries and aquaculture as their primary source of income and food security. Fisheries also contribute to household resilience and a reduced vulnerability to natural hazards and economic uncertainty.

What is the issue?

Climate change is having a devastating effect on the sea.

“90 per cent of the heat being produced as a result of climate change is stored in the oceans, with 60 per cent in the upper 600m of surface waters,” said Manuel Barange, Director of Fisheries and Aquaculture at FAO.

The surface waters are where all the resources live. Climate change is bleaching corals, raising sea level, increasing the temperature and changing the pH of the oceans. None of this is good news for the myriad of life which calls the ocean home, or the people who rely on it.

But it is not always negative; climate change can also affect areas in positive ways. In colder regions temperature rises actually lead to an increase in production, but in the tropics, it can lead to death, migration, lower yields and changes in species. Species migration will lead to the greatest reductions in catches from inshore coastal waters where small-scale fishers operate.

“Species have temperature tolerance windows, when the temperature changes, they have only two options, move with the window or stay. Staying can have devastating effects, skewered distributions, changes in reproduction seasons, and death. Changes in reproduction seasons means that our current management tools, such as closure of fishing grounds in reproduction season, will no longer be effective,” Added Barange.

When it comes to the species on coral reefs – the reef cannot move – so when the temperature changes the negatively affected habitat disappears.

IFAD knows that we don’t know everything, but we know enough to act.

What can we do?

Fish is crucial for food security. More fish is eaten than pork, than chicken. With twelve per cent of the world depending on fisheries, how do we support communities and families through these changes?

We need to promote adaptation techniques, disseminate knowledge and put into practice other climate smart solutions. These can vary massively depending on the location. Fisheries can change the species they catch, to more abundant or local species. New innovative equipment can be made available, which limits the fisheries impact on the oceans. Alternatively, fisheries can reduce theirs yields, but opt for a higher quality of fish which would enable their incomes to be least affected.

In Djibouti, IFAD has tackled the problem as part of its US$ 55 million portfolio there, making fisheries a key element of its natural resource management program. Results are already positive: IFAD’s management and protection of over 50 per cent of local coastal habitats as well as some 70 per cent of local coral reefs has improved abundance of species, and generated better reliability in capture rate.

Further, IFAD has designed geospatial mapping systems to monitor key ecosystems, such as mangrove forests and coral reefs, geared towards supporting healthy fisheries’ value chains. These geospatial tools have already provided a more precise picture of the country’s mangroves, which protect coastal communities from climate hazards.

“Right now, the Government in Djibouti is using this information to take the next steps: Rehabilitating mangroves and fish breeding grounds, while providing fishing communities with credit to buy boats and equipment,” said IFAD's Jacopo Monzini.

Whilst the answer is not one hundred per cent clear Barange is sure that, “any solution will need to include the migration of people, and we need to facilitate that migration. At certain times, people will need to travel to where the fish are.“

Sending money home

Posted by Beate Stalsett Wednesday, June 15, 2016 0 comments

On International Day of Family Remittances we celebrate the incredible potential that remittances – money migrant workers send home to their families – have in providing crucial financial support for millions of people in developing countries.

16 June marks the second global observance of the International Day of Family Remittances – launched in 2015 by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to encourage the public and private sectors, as well as civil society, to do more to maximize the impact of remittances in the developing world.

Remittances, the money migrant workers send home to their families, provide crucial financial support for millions of people in developing countries.

For years, migrants worked in the shadows of globalization while their remittances went uncounted by governments and aid agencies. Over the past 15 years, however, the true size of their contribution has come to light, and most importantly the opportunities these funds present in helping families and communities escape poverty.

Here are four surprising facts you may not have known about remittances sent home from migrants.

Fact: In 2015, almost 250 million economic migrants living outside their countries of origin sent about US$450 billion in remittances to their families back home.

Remittances are crucial for migrant's families, often representing more than 50 per cent of their income. These funds allow families to address their basics needs such as food, housing, health and education, but also help them to raise their living standards above subsistence levels. They can help rebuild the fabric of societies, spark economic development, and bring stability necessary for a hopeful future.

In the Philippines, a financial education programme supported by IFAD is helping families of migrant workers turn remittances into successful businesses. They learn about budgeting and how to better invest the money they receive from abroad. For Lily Bruhl, whose husband is one of 10 million Filipinos currently working outside the country, this knowledge was life changing.

''The first thing I learned was that if you receive remittances from your husband, save first before you spend,” she said. “It also made me realize that I have to be ready for the reintegration of my husband because if I am not going to prepare, then who will prepare for us?''

With money saved from her husband's remittances, Lily soon decided to invest in a fish farm. Now she is running a successful business, and providing jobs to others in the community.

Fact: 30 to 40 per cent of remittances are sent to rural areas

Like Lily, when given the opportunity, many rural families are willing to save (sometimes just small amounts) and invest in activities such as small businesses. This in turn contributes to job creation, better food security, and ultimately a better future for families and their communities.

"Today we honour migrant workers, their families and their stories of hope, separation and sacrifice," Kanayo F. Nwanze, President of IFAD, told those attending last year’s inaugural commemoration of the International Day of Family Remittances. "We also recognise their vital contribution to their families at home and to the development of their nations."

Nwanze added that remittances could play a critical role in transforming poor communities if both migrants and their families at home were given more options to invest their funds, creating opportunities for business development and employment.

The remittances from the Somali diaspora in Europe and the United States have resulted in targeted investments that have had a positive impact on Somalia's agriculture sector. Through the Somali AgriFood Fund, six business owners got financing for more than US$435,000 and are expected to generate close to 200 jobs and open new markets for about 15,000 small-scale producers in the agriculture and fisheries sectors. Somalia is estimated to receive over US$1,3 billion annually in remittances, exceeding official aid to the country.

Fact: IFAD estimates that one out of seven people – more than one billion individuals - are directly impacted by remittances.

The amount of remittances sent home is equivalent to around four times official development assistance and exceeds foreign direct investment inflows in most developing countries. It is estimated that over the 15-year period the UN’s new Global Development Goals have set to end poverty, migrants abroad will have sent an accumulated US$7,5 trillion to their hometowns in developing countries. This is a testament to the transformative potential of remittances.

Remittances are crucial in fragile states or disaster-affected regions. They are often the only income families have, and can play a role in the reconstruction and stabilization of those states.

Fact: More than 90 per cent of the world’s poorest people do not have access to savings accounts, loans, insurance or any convenient way to transfer money

There is a direct correlation between financial exclusion and poverty.

For remittances to work for families and for development, it is crucial to improve access to basic financial services, such as savings and credit, but also to provide families with non-financial services adapted to their needs, such as technical assistance for business development or financial education programmes.

Lowering the cost of sending remittances can also have a tremendous impact, according Pedro De Vasconcelos, IFAD Senior Technical Specialist and Coordinator of the Financing Facility for Remittances. ''In the case of Europe, reducing the cost of sending remittances by one per cent would add up to a US$1 billion savings for those sending and receiving remittances.”

Join us in celebrating the International Day. Share your activities on social media using #FamilyRemittances.

Remittances for development: progress and way forward

Posted by Beate Stalsett Friday, June 26, 2015 0 comments

By Pedro De Vasconcelos, Manager of the IFAD Financing Facility for Remittances

How can we maximize the development impact of remittances?

This was the key question of the fifth Global Forum on Remittances and Development, which ended in Milan last Friday after four days of substantive dialogue and debates. More than 400 participants attended from 88 countries around the world.

In 2014, global remittances to developing countries reached US$436 billion, exceeding official development assistance by at least three times. The forum focused on how to leverage these funds for social and economic development in recipient countries. It is estimated that about 20 percent of the funds received could be invested in productive activities and small businesses.

While today there is greater appreciation of remittances by governments and the international community than ever before, there are still many barriers that prevent remittances from meeting their development potential.

Kanayo F. Nwanze, IFAD's President, opens the Global Forum on Remittances and Development.
©IFAD

The forum started with the warm-hearted observance of the first International Day for Family Remittances.

In his opening, IFAD President Kanayo Nwanze reminded the audience that remittances are the largest poverty alleviation mechanism adopted by millions of migrant workers around the world in benefit of their families back home.

In her keynote address, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, speaking in her role as the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, also acknowledged the importance of remittances. "We should never forget that to millions of families in developing countries remittances represent their only hope for building a better future", she said.

Enabling environment to transfer remittances

Participants rallied around the need for more proportionate regulations and a more enabling regulatory environment for remittances. In particular, payments systems should be more integrated and adapted for transfers of small amounts of money.

The issue of de-risking was much discussed and will remain an area for future work. Money transfer operators and companies present at the forum called for the opening of a dialogue with regulators. De-risking is the closing of bank accounts of money transfer operators, which they need to operate, by banks due to perceived legal, regulatory sanctions and anti-money laundering/countering of financing terror measures.

Unleashing the potential of new technologies

There was a wide consensus on the promise of technology to provide cheaper, more efficient and far-reaching remittances.

The use of mobile and online technologies has led to a transformation of the landscape for domestic remittances in many countries, for example in Kenya. Their use in cross-border transactions, however, remains limited and is hampered by the lack of international interoperability of mobile systems and of regulation harmonization between countries. The value of international remittances sent through mobile phones accounted for less than 2 percent ($10 billion) of global remittance flows ($542 billion) in 2013, according to the World Bank.

Ensuring impact on development: financial inclusion is key

Public-private-people partnerships and dialogue with migrants and recipient families were the leitmotiv when discussing concretely how remittances can harness development locally.
The private sector is very key in that respect. By providing access first to savings accounts and then loans and insurance, banks and money transfer operators can offer millions of people the possibility to invest, develop their activities and start small businesses. Currently only about 10 per cent of rural people in developing countries have access to even the most basic financial services.

Participants discussed how to go beyond pilot activities and take proven models and scale them up to maximize development. The IFAD Financing Facility for Remittances is launching a call for proposals to that effect. Guidelines will be published in September 2015.

Costs can be further reduced

While progress has been made to reduce transfer costs in recent years, more should and can be achieved through increased competition and the introduction of new technologies. With a global average of about 8 percent, costs remain too high and are much higher in many places, for example in Africa.

Next steps

It was agreed that joint efforts need to be pursued to reduce transfer costs, to increase the use of new technologies and to improve financial inclusion. Particular attention also should be paid to the role remittances can play in the post-2015 development agenda and their contribution to the sustainable development goals.

The next global forum will take place in New York in 2017 to assess progress towards the goals related to remittances.

First awards for excellence in remittances and social and economic development

The forum closed with a ceremony to recognize practices that make a real difference to migrants and their families.

The FFR gave four awards for efforts to help leverage remittances for development. Awardees were: WorldRemit, the world’s largest mobile-centric money transfer service; Mame Khary Diene, CEO of Bioessence and a successful diaspora entrepreneur; the Central Bank of the Philippines which set up a Economic and Financial Learning Programme one component of which targets overseas Filipinos and remittance-recipient families; and the non-profit Asociación Mexicana de Uniones de Crédito del Sector Social (AMUCSS), a network of rural financial institutions and micro banks.

Diaspora Investment in Agriculture - GC PTA side event, 22 February

Posted by Dimitra Thursday, February 23, 2012 0 comments

The immense development potential of diaspora catalysed an animated discussion at the PTA GC side event on 22 February, led by the Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR). Despite the late hour, delegates gathered numerous to learn how two of the most proactive FFR partners – the Atikha Overseas Workers and Communities Initiatives and the Himilo Relief and Development Association (HIRDA) – turned a small group of strong-willed and talented returnees into an investment cooperative.

Remittances reach 10 per cent of the developing world’s population. Approximately 40 countries receive 10 per cent or more of their GDP from remittances. In some countries, such as Tajikistan, remittances account for 30 per cent of GDP, while this number is higher still in Haiti and Somalia, where estimates range from 30 to 50 per cent. Nearly half of these vital flows reach rural areas, where they help purchasing food, building shelters, and funding children education. Yet, just alike each of us, migrants and their families do save up for educating their children or to be able to face unexpected health issues, or simply for rainy days.

“Migrants behave just the same as we do” says Mai Anonuevo, the manager of an FFR-financed project in the Philippines. “They, too, look for saving and investment opportunities, and of course they seek to reduce risk as much as possible”. Most importantly, “Migrants’ investment decisions are always based on family or community ties rather than pure profit seeking. This is why no one is more keen on investing in the home countries than the diaspora actors” adds Fatumo Farah, manager of the FFR-financed project in Somalia. It is indeed remarkable to learn, through Fatumo’s passionate words, how, in a few years, a returnee community in the central region of Somalia managed to take control of a water extraction system established through external donors’ contribution. Returnees decided to invest their own savings in maintenance and water distribution. Now, the locally-managed structure is self-sufficient and fully functioning through the payment of an equitable fare by users covering maintenance costs.

Why do migrants choose investing in agriculture? Just as HIRDA, Atikha, and many of the FFR partners in the field have explained, agriculture offers a relatively safe and stable financial return and the prospect of job creation in the home country. Not to mention the relevance of the “nostalgic goods” market, in which migrants abroad are willing to pay a premium price just to get hold of their home specialties, be it camel milk for the Somali community in the Netherlands or nopal cactus – derived products for the Mexican community in the USA.

How does IFAD, through the FFR, engage migrants into investing in agriculture in their home country? Again, the FFR experience in the Philippines has demonstrated the importance of working together with migrant workers towards goal setting, budgeting and saving, and providing them with the access to the right and equitable instruments to do so. On the other hand, it has brought to light the key role played by local cooperatives as instruments to pool savings and reduce investment risk, through accurate mapping of existing investment opportunities. Working with local governments has also been key to help create an enabling environment for investment and economic development, as well as mobilise public resources to match migrant capital.

So what are the next steps? The FFR-led Diaspora Investment in Agriculture Initiative (DIA) seeks to scale up successful migrant investment examples and to turn them into a profitable, pro-poor mechanism for agricultural development. Through DIA, country-specific value chain of selected agricultural commodities will be mapped, along with investment opportunities and capacity building needs, all in close cooperation with local partners from the private, public, and civil society sectors. Through the launch of a competitive call for proposals, a number of successful initiatives will be identified, that address key priorities emerging from the country analysis. Selected proposals will have to demonstrate how to engage closely with local communities and mobilise matching financial resources to share risk.

As a matter of fact, while migrants become more conscious about their goals and financial options, diaspora investment in agriculture is already happening, and growing fast. “We used to migrate to survive. Now, we migrate smarter. We have one objective – save and return better” told once one of the FFR grant beneficiaries, an Albanian would-be entrepreneur. The next big challenge will thus be on how to capitalise on a growing phenomenon, while building overseas bridges between diasporas abroad and their home communities.

IFAD at the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - days 3 and 4

Posted by Dimitra Thursday, November 11, 2010 0 comments

Government Representatives gathering in occasion of the third and fourth day of the Global Forum on Migration and Development embarked in a series of technical discussions here in at the International Convention Centre in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The IFAD delegation from the Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR) and the Office of the Chief Development Strategist (CDS) attended the several roundtables and found some of the issues addressed of special relevance to IFAD current and future operations.

The roundtable focusing on the “impact of migration on socio-economic development” announced the release of the so-called “migration profile” study developed by the International Migration Organization (IOM) for 26 countries across the globe. The study is meant to address the lack of comprehensive data on the phenomenon of migration and was very well welcomed by all participants. The core point made by the roundtable was the necessity of adopting a national “culture of evaluation” to assess the impact of migration on economic and social development, and address its cause-effect relationship. The United Kingdom representative highlighted how there is scope for a higher-level commitment of Governments in gathering external expertise, champions, think tank institutions, and international organizations, and carry out rigorous analysis based on baseline and impact surveys and what if...? simulations. Moldova provided some very useful practical hints, such as the development of country-specific indicators as well as internationally comparable benchmark indicators. Within this context, the creation of a “clearing house” for sharing national experience on impact assessment was regarded by Switzerland as a useful tool to proceed in a more coordinated fashion among Governments.

Another debate that is especially relevant to IFAD was the one held on the issue of “climate change and its impact on migration”. The discussion focused on the necessity of improving the accuracy of research data on climate change and the applicability of forecasting models developed so far. States were called to notify the audience on their latest studies and research activities. In this regard, France announced the upcoming development of a comprehensive study on climate change and human mobility in Morocco, Egypt, Syria, Yemen and Algeria. From its side, Switzerland proposed that all available and future publications be stored in an online, world accessible virtual library. Finally, the necessity of including adequate measures to tackle the impact of climate change of migration in National Development Plans was stressed by many of the countries attending the roundtable.

The afternoon wrap-up sessions of the Forum will conclude these four-day round of meetings around the topic of migration and development. However, the debate on concrete solutions to foster better partnership among Governments and development actors on the issue of migration will continue. Rumors gathered in the corridors and outside official occasions reveal there is growing expectation towards the approach to be adopted for the next Global Forum on Migration and Development to beheld in Switzerland in 2011. Civil Society Organizations want to make sure that more concrete progress on joint public-private initiatives is made by next year, and that the Forum can be the occasion to showcase some good results rather than formal commitments. From their side, Governments seem to be processing on the path of research and policy development, and hope to gather more consensus across their counterpart. So 2011 will hopefully see the answer to many of the controversial issues raised in this Forum, provided that Governments and Civil Society organizations find common ground for enhanced collaboration and mutual benefit.

IFAD at the Global Forum on Migration and Development in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - day 1

Posted by Dimitra Tuesday, November 9, 2010 0 comments

The Mexican town of Puerto Vallarta, formerly a fishermen village and nowadays home to a futuristically-designed brand new Convention Center, is hosting the Fourth Meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD). An IFAD delegation from the Financing Facility for Remittances (FFR) and the Office of the Chief Development Strategist (CDS) is attending all four days of the event, from 8 to 11 November.

The GFMD is a recent initiative of the United Nations Member States to address the migration and development interconnections in practical and action-oriented ways. It is an informal, non-binding, voluntary and government-led process that marks the culmination of more than a decade of international dialogue on the growing importance of the linkages between migration and development. Following the successful meetings held in Bruxelles (2007), Manila (2008) and Athens (2009), the central theme of this year’s event is “Partnerships for migration and human development: shared prosperity – shared responsibility.” The UN system has contributed to t

he setting of the main themes for discussions and roundtables and has been officially invited to follow this years’ Forum. Within this context, IFAD is joining the GFMD 2010 as an observer, but also to showcase its experience with migration, remittances and rural development through a dedicated stand, and get in contact with Government representatives and potential development partner institutions.

A lot of excitement grew upon the whole event since it was announced, as it is demonstrated by the huge affluence in Puerto Vallarta of Government Delegates and representatives from international development institutions, NGOs, and the private sector. In Puerto Vallarta, at the pre-inauguration session in the evening of 7 November, the FFR met some of its grant recipient institutions, now become old friends, such as its partners from Somalia and Sierra Leone. Several new contacts were made as well, by promoting the FFR funding programme dealing with remittances and innovative opportunities for financial inclusion.

Today, Monday 8 November, the GFMD was officially inaugurated, on the first of the two days dedicated to Civil Societies. Participants gathered around simultaneous roundtables to agree on a preliminary draft set of recommendations on the issue of migration and development. Today’s roundtables provided several interesting inputs a set of subjects that are well known to IFAD, such as the past and recent experience in the empowerment of migrant organizations, the impact of migration on economic and social development, the impact of climate change on migration, and the role of gender sensitive migrations policies. The roundtables also offered hints for discussion on some of IFAD’s emerging strategies, such as the building of partnerships with the private sector and the role of inter-regional fora in including the migration and development nexus.

Among the different roundtables held today, the one on “Building Partnership with the Private Sector” was indeed the most animated. It witnessed a non-stop series of interventions from key players from the non-profit and profit sector. Starting with the former, an excellent example of public-private partnership was provided by the Bancomer Foundation. Bancomer has created through the years an impressive network of financial agents operating remittance transfers and managed to re-direct a great portion of funds from the informal transfer channels to the regularized ones. Targeting remittance transfers in the USA-Mexico corridor, “Cuenta Express” is the new product created by Bacomer in collaboration with VISA Inc., allowing remittance transfers through an integrated mobile platform and making transfer services available also from retail “mom & pop” stores. But the partnership process is not being led by the non-profit sector only. Western Union made an excellent showcase of their soon-to-be “support for investment opportunities” initiative, aimed at supporting migrants and their families develop entrepreneurship models for a productive use of remittances. Exploring the wide range of instruments that are or should be made available to migrants willing to start their own business, a special emphasis was put on guarantee instruments and replicable guarantee fund models.

Breaks and pauses were the occasion to promote IFAD’s experience with migration and remittances issues at the IFAD-dedicated stand provided by the Forum’s organizers. Universities, migrants’ associations and financial service providers inquired about the FFR Annual Call for Proposals mechanism and showed concrete interest in submitting grant concepts in the coming months. Most sought areas for future collaboration were the provision of financial instruments to link remittances and micro-insurance and financial literacy initiatives. Representatives from the private sector (including Western Union itself) also came to the IFAD stand seeking opportunities for joint initiatives with the FFR, in countries where the cost of remittance transfers is still too high for the vast majority of rural people.

Tomorrow, Tuesday 9 November, an official set of recommendations on the issue of migration and development will be adopted during the Plenary Session and reported by the IFAD delegation on this blog.

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