As we commemorate the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, we savor the moment to reflect on the nation's remarkable agricultural transformation over time. From being a country that grappled with food insecurity and rural poverty, today China has successfully secured food for over 1.4 billion people — nearly 18 percent of the world's population — while utilizing just 7 percent of the world's arable land.China's rural areas are home to 36.11 percent of its population. Rural areas in developing countries — where hunger and extreme poverty are most concentrated — also hold the greatest potential for food production. It has been proven that investing in these areas drive economic growth and create jobs. China's journey from severe food deficiency to becoming the largest food producer, offers valuable lessons for global food and nutrition security efforts. This is especially so at a time when the world faces mounting challenges that impact food security such as conflict, climate variabilities, economic downturns and resource scarcity.Since 1980, the International Fund for Agricultural Development has been a steadfast partner in China's rural development journey. Through 35 projects in some of the harshest and very remote rural areas, IFAD has supported over 20 million rural women and men, improving their livelihoods. This partnership has been pivotal in supporting China's extraordinary efforts to eliminate extreme poverty and enhance national and global food and nutrition security.Forty years ago, more than 90 percent of China's rural population lived in absolute poverty. In its early partnership with China, IFAD focused on addressing immediate challenges of the country. The goal was straightforward: to help farmers grow more food — crop, livestock and fisheries. Through financial aid and technical support, IFAD worked with China to enhance grain, animal and fisheries production, modernize farming techniques, and promote food security.As China transitioned to a market-oriented economy at the end of the 20th century, IFAD's focus expanded beyond just food production to innovative technologies, as well as enhancing smallholders, particularly women and ethnic minorities' access to finance and improving their linkage to markets. This strategic shift empowered rural women and marginalized communities by providing them with essential skills and integrating their voices into decision-making processes. Additionally, IFAD promoted the adoption of modern agricultural technologies, which contributed to more efficient farming practices and increased participation in the market economy.When China declared in 2012, its goal to eradicate extreme poverty by lifting the last 98.99 million people out of extreme poverty by 2020, IFAD's partnership strategy shifted toward a more holistic approach. The new direction aligned with China's broader vision for agriculture and food security, incorporating rural revitalization, green and inclusive development, and digital transformation, all aimed at ensuring no one is left behind. As part of its contribution, IFAD is supporting China in implementing farmland enhancement in remote areas to improve the quality, productivity, and sustainability of agricultural land in Sichuan province and Ningxia Hui autonomous region. In Yunnan province, IFAD has funded women and ethnic minority entrepreneurs like Ms Zou Jie from Huaping county, whose company created 15,000 job opportunities and significantly boosted the local economy. In Hunan province, IFAD built village irrigation infrastructure and is promoting the use of organic fertilizer, so that the cooperatives supported will be resilient and still cultivate the land whenever rain is scarce. Additionally, IFAD projects are also creating employment opportunities for the youth so they will remain in or return to rural areas.China's transformation has not only benefited its own rural communities but has positioned the country as a leader in global food security initiatives. According to the latest State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World report 2024, jointly published by IFAD, FAO, WFP, UNICEF and WHO in July, an estimated 28.9 percent of the global population in 2023 was moderately or severely food insecure. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation, China and IFAD have shared agricultural knowledge, innovation and technologies with other developing nations, safeguarding the food security and livelihoods of local farmers. China's $10 million contribution to establish the China-IFAD SSTC Facility in 2018, along with another $10 million replenishment in June 2024, has made the facility pivotal for knowledge and expertise exchange and technology transfer within the Global South.Despite these notable achievements, some challenges exist. As China continues its journey, it is essential to ensure that all citizens have access to nutritious food in addition to enhancing food production. The future of China's food security will hinge on integrating sustainable agricultural practices that promote environmental stewardship and public health. This includes efforts to reduce food loss and waste, improve the food systems, and enhance the overall nutritional quality of food, while ensuring that progress in food production translates into improved health and well-being for all.Overall, China's journey is a testament to what can be achieved through careful and systematic planning, innovation, policy reform, and international cooperation. The country has demonstrated its prolificacy through the evolutions in the poverty and food security landscapes. This noteworthy evolution has significantly contributed to global food security, stabilizing food markets, and providing lessons in resilience and growth. China's success is not a fluke — it's a product of meticulous planning, investment, and commitment of its leadership. It demonstrates how targeted strategies and collaborative efforts can drive substantial improvements in agricultural productivity and rural development.As China transitions into a carbon-neutral economy, IFAD will continue its strong partnership to support China to sustain and expand the gains in poverty alleviation and comprehensively realize rural revitalization. This would be done through supporting innovative and resilient rural livelihood practices, greening the agricultural sector through environmentally and climate-smart interventions, and sharing the knowledge generated through our activities and those of others in-country with other developing countries through South-South and triangular cooperation.The op-ed was originally published by China Daily.

 Today, on International Day of South-South Cooperation, we are confronted by a world further split by its divides across all dimensions.Conflicts and geopolitics are putting a great strain on nations and people of all strides, putting their peace and prosperity at risk.If we are to achieve the 2030 Agenda, we must reverse our recent course and resume our path of progress towards sustainable development.The UN’s role in South-South cooperation Four years ago, I assumed the role of Resident Coordinator in China amidst a once-in-a-century pandemic.As I deployed, it became clear that a revitalization of the global partnership for sustainable development was necessary around the globe, to keep our promises and achieve the SDGs by 2030. It gave great clarity to me, as Resident Coordinator, on what had to be done. This was however no small task for the United Nations in China, including my team in the Resident Coordinator Office. With the circumstances often forcing us to convene online, this fuelled much distrust globally while stalling our progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).Meanwhile, many came to question the ability of international cooperation and multilateralism to achieve results in a world that has become increasingly polarized.South-South cooperation has long been recognized as a framework for countries in the Global South to contribute to their national well-being, national and collective self-reliance, and the attainment of internationally agreed commitments, including the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Therefore, our task over the past years has been to renew this collaborative spirit through a dialogue with our counterparts from government and other sectors of society on how China’s experience and expertise could be best shared with other countries, focusing primarily on those in Africa.  Reimagining South-South cooperation for AfricaChina has long been Africa’s largest trading partner.Chinese projects, have sprung up all over the continent, including the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway in Kenya. But as fiscal space has tightened, so too have needs widened on the continent. The climate crisis has wreaked havoc in Africa, placing pressure on food security and agriculture, accelerating the need to rapidly transition to affordable and clean energy.Similarly, the growing cohort of young people in Africa has turned the world’s attention to their needs, and their capacities in areas such as technology and innovation.Transforming partnerships into actionThrough our Transformative Partnerships Initiative, the UN in China has sought to foster policy and technical discussions with our Host Country and other Member States, particularly the African Ambassadors Group in Beijing, to identify ways to accelerate action towards the SDGs.We have aimed to identify the specific areas for potential collaboration between China and African countries stemming from the FOCAC process and to seek out where more cooperation can contribute to progress on sustainable development, in a way that maximizes impact for people and planet.Throughout our work, African Ambassadors have led the process, for example, in preparing for the FOCAC summit in Beijing. As the Resident Coordinator, along with my UN Country Team, we are committed to convening, connecting, and catalyzing action. We believe in bringing together a diverse range of stakeholders - extending beyond our traditional partners to include academics, civil society organizations, and the private sector. This approach is evident in our efforts, from conversations on tackling drought in the Horn of Africa to calling attention to the Nairobi Declaration on Climate Change.  As concrete proposals evolve from such discussions here in China, we hope to eventually see more progress on the SDGs realized for the people of Africa.Now more than ever, we need bridge builders and torchbearers for sustainable development.So, let this International Day of South-South Cooperation bring us one step closer to a better tomorrow, together.

This article was originally post on ifad.org.As I arrived in Hunan, where otherworldly limestone hills emerge from lush greenery, I knew I was in a place unlike anywhere else in the world. Here, people are in touch with the changing seasons and the rhythms of agricultural life.But Hunan, like the rest of China, has experienced dramatic change in the past decades. On my first visit to China as Associate Vice-President, I was eager to learn how IFAD has accompanied this dynamic country on its development journey – and how we will continue to collaborate into the future.Back in 1981, IFAD was the first international institution to financially support China’s rural development. Since then, more than 20 million of its poorest and most vulnerable rural people have benefited from IFAD-supported projects.Following a period of unparalleled economic growth, China declared it had eradicated extreme poverty in 2021.Changing tack in challenging timesYet our work is not done. Climate change presents a devastating threat to rural communities in Hunan. Natural disasters, once a rare phenomenon, are increasingly common. During my visit alone, a flood at Dongting Lake breached an embankment and devastated the fields around it.When such disasters strike, rural people on the verge poverty risk backsliding. For the most vulnerable people, including ethnic minorities, this risk is even more pronounced.In the prefecture I visited, four in five people are from Tujia or Miao ethnic minorities, many of whom just recently emerged from poverty. That’s why, to protect fragile progress, rural development must be sustainable.In Fenghuang county, I met Guanmin, a member of the Miao ethnic minority and the leader of a cooperative of kiwifruit growers. Supported by the H2RDP project, he switched to red kiwifruit, which commands a much higher market price. But he’s also been careful to adapt his farm to climate change.Thanks to irrigation infrastructure and organic fertilizer provided through the project, his vines are thriving in spite of shifting weather patterns. The cooperative now has a fallback whenever rain is scarce, while the soil is healthier and more resistant to floods.  As Guanmin told me, “With the help of IFAD’s reservoir, we can have stable water supply and prevent agricultural losses even during droughts.”  His livelihood much improved, he sees a long future ahead for his farm. Guanmin told me that his 15-year-old son aspires to study agriculture and contribute to the farm's success. Rural youth for rural gainsMirroring China’s new rural revitalization strategy, the H2RDP project creates employment opportunities so young people remain in or return to rural areas.One of these young people is Huaqing. He migrated to Chongqing city after graduating high school. But in 2022, Huaqing decided to return to Sanzao Village. With a grant and training from H2RDP, he set up 150 beehives and began a thriving beekeeping business.Now 27 years old, Huaqing has supplied bees and given beekeeping training to over 40 villagers. Thanks to this entrepreneurial and passionate young person, many others in his community can earn an income from honey and be part of China’s rural transformation. A green development agendaI met countless IFAD project participants who are achieving sustainable change. Yet, despite living on the frontlines of climate change, they are often left out of global conversations about climate adaptation and mitigation.That’s why IFAD’s new agreement with the Multilateral Cooperation Center for Development Finance is so important. Together, we will improve cross-border connectivity, knowledge sharing and capacity building for green development, opening an important channel for climate finance to reach those most in need. Sharing sustainable successChina's rural transformation over the last forty years has been extraordinary – and the China-IFAD SSTC (South-South Triangular Co-operation) Facility is helping other countries make similar progress. Since 2018, the facility has shared local knowledge and proven solutions from China and the Global South with 38 developing countries – and counting.Projects focus on value chain development, climate adaptation and agricultural productivity. For example, a projectsupported by the Facility and implemented by the International Bamboo and Rattan Organization improved the bamboo value chain in Cameroon, Ethiopia, Ghana and Madagascar. It did so by developing a national bamboo strategy and providing technical assistance.The Facility is just one of many opportunities to partner with China on SSTC – and that’s why IFAD is strengthening our general SSTC programme around the world.Tackling shared challenges together is exactly the type of collaboration we need to achieve sustainable development for all. And it's why, despite immense global challenges, my time in Hunan gave me hope that a better and more sustainable future for our planet's rural people is possible.

Beijing, China — On 19 July, 30 communication professionals representing 13 United Nations (UN) agencies, funds and programmes in China, joined a capacity development session on “Gender-Responsive Communications” organized by UN Women in collaboration with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO) in China.Delivered by Diego De La Rosa, Communications Specialist for UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the session emphasized the importance of integrating gender considerations into all forms of communication. It referenced significant milestones in gender equality, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) and the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, which set the foundation for global efforts toward gender equality and women's empowerment.Key principles highlighted in the presentation include featuring women in communications, ensuring equal representation and respectful portrayal of all genders, and challenging gender stereotypes. It advocates for the use of gender-sensitive language, avoiding stereotypes and sexist expressions, and promoting equal visibility for women and men in various roles, especially leadership positions. The presentation also stressed the importance of considering multiple aspects of diversity, such as socio-economic background, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation, in communication materials."Integrating gender responsiveness into our communications is not just an option; it is a necessity for achieving true equality and justice. Today’s capacity development session shows how the UN Communications Group in China is striving to be fit for purpose, and gender-responsive throughout our work," said Louise Xi Li, Head of Communications, UN RCO China.Wenting Zhao, UN Women China Communications Specialist, said: "By making our communications gender-responsive, we amplify the voices of women and girls, challenge stereotypes, and pave the way for a more equitable future. This is a crucial step toward achieving gender equality and empowering all individuals." The session on “Gender-Responsive Communications” was part of a capacity development mission conducted by UN Women Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific to China. It also included a session on storytelling and social media for UN Women China staff and a briefing session for members of the media, public relations agencies and cultural institutions, focusing on the 30th anniversary of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action and the UN Women global campaign on the Paris 2024 Olympics. For more information, please contact:Zhao Wenting
Communications Specialist
UN Women ChinaE-mail: wenting.zhao@unwomen.org