Dhaka, Feb. 13 -- As the world grows increasingly fragmented and the future uncertain, global leaders and financiers at the 48th Governing Council of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) have emphasised the strategic importance of investing in rural areas of developing countries to achieve food and nutrition security, economic growth and stability.

Nearly half of the world's 8.2 billion people live in the rural areas of developing countries, where hunger and poverty are entrenched. These regions are home to small-scale farmers who produce 70 per cent of the food consumed in low- and middle-income countries. This makes rural areas the 'first mile' for reducing poverty and inequality, ensuring stability and feeding th...