2026 Global Research Network Development Banking Research Conference: Agri-PDB discusses how PDBs can fulfill their mandate in contexts of high-risk |
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| 20-22 May 2026 | Clermont-Ferrand, France
The Agri-PDB Platform proudly contributed to the 2026 GRN Development Banking Research Conference in Clermont-Ferrand, organized by the Global Research Network on Public Development Banks (GRN), together with Finance in Common, the French Development Agency, the Foundation for Studies and Research on International Development, CERDI, and the University of Clermont Auvergne under the label of the French G7 Presidency.
The conference brought together more than 120 researchers, Public Development Banks (PDBs), practitioners, and policy experts from over 30 countries to discuss the evolving role of PDBs in shaping sustainable development and resilient financial systems. At the heart of the Agri-PDB Platform’s contribution was a strong focus on knowledge generation and research as critical drivers of effective public policy and development finance strategies that support financial inclusion for smallholder farmers. During the conference, Madalitso Chafulumira presented research on how agricultural PDBs in Latin America cope with climate shocks in a sector as volatile as agriculture. The findings highlighted that Agri-PDBs are deeply influenced by macro-financial conditions, while climate shocks can, in some contexts, stabilize bank performance through government support mechanisms — raising important questions about long-term fiscal sustainability and resilience.
The Agri-PDB Platform was also pleased to contribute to the session on “Climate and Biodiversity Risk,” moderated by Thierry Latreille, alongside valuable contributions from Dr. Masedi Sesele (DBSA) and Taarika Peres (Climate Policy Initiative). The session explored the intersection of biodiversity, climate finance, risk management, and innovative financial tools for development banks.
These exchanges reinforced the importance of rigorous analysis, collaboration, and knowledge-sharing in building sustainable and resilient agricultural public development banks capable of responding to climate and economic shocks. |
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Agri-PDB Platform positions agricultural and rural finance as a strategic priority for development banking at ALIDE’s 56th General Assembly |
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| 20-22 May 2026 | Asunción, Paraguay
In May, the Agri-PDB Platform participated in the 56th General Assembly of ALIDE, held in Asunción, Paraguay. Organized under the theme “Innovate, Invest, Include,” the Assembly brought together development banks, financial institutions, international organizations, and key stakeholders from Latin America and the Caribbean.
On 21 May, the Platform co-organized with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture the side event “Innovative Financial Instruments and Technical Cooperation to Strengthen Financial Inclusion Through Public Agricultural Development Banks in Agri-Food Systems”. The session fostered technical exchanges on the role of PDBs and technical cooperation in strengthening financial, technological, and market access capacities for more competitive agriculture. It focused on innovative financial instruments for small and medium producers, rural enterprises and cooperatives; improving the efficiency of financing mechanisms for agrifood chains; the role of PDBs in risk mitigation and capital mobilization; and lessons from practical experiences and peer learning between development banks and technical cooperation institutions. The side event broadcasted experiences from diverse NDBs, including Crédito Agrícola de Habilitación of Paraguay, FIRA Mexico, Banco Agrícola of the Dominican Republic, French Development Agency in Paraguay and Agrobanco Peru. It also included a dedicated segment on PDB networks and technical cooperation, with interventions from IICA, ALIDE and Agri-PDB Platform, followed by an interactive discussion aimed at identifying concrete opportunities for regional cooperation and scaling innovative financial instruments in the agrifood sector.
The participation of the Agri-PDB Platform during this regional gathering ensured that agricultural and rural finance remained visible within the broader development finance agenda. |
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Rome Nutrition Week: Agri-PDB Platform showcases PDBs’ role in mobilising and aligning finance for nutrition outcomes |
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| 27 May 2026 | Rome, Italy
On the occasion of the Rome Nutrition Week 2026, the Agri-PDB Platform engaged in the event “From Commitment to Investment: Aligning Private Sector Engagement and Nutrition Outcomes”, co-organised by the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNi), the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub, the SUN Movement, and the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD). The session explored how to strengthen accountability, data, and regulation to better align financial flows with nutrition and sustainability goals, and identify practical ways to mobilise responsible investment and enhance collaboration across governments, investors, development institutions, the private sector, and the UN system. The Agri-PDB Platform contributed sharing key insights into the role of PDBs in mobilising and aligning finance for nutrition outcomes while also facilitating the participation of a representative of the Tanzania Agricultural Development Bank (TADB). |
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African PDBs step up for agriculture at the Africa Forward Summit |
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| 12 May 2026 | Nairobi, Kenya
The Africa Forward Summit in Nairobi launched strong initiatives to advance food sovereignty, investment, financial inclusion, and climate-smart agriculture across African agri-food systems. Under the leadership of AFRACA, with the French Development Agency (AFD) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), African public development banks committed to closing the agricultural financing gap, advancing financial inclusion, and scaling climate-smart agriculture. As a concrete illustration of this shared commitment, AFD and IFAD — both key supporters of the Agri-PDB Platform — signed a joint statement to co-finance an upcoming climate-smart dairy development programme in the presence of Tanzanian officials. Together, these commitments reinforce the role of public development banks in transforming Africa's agri-food systems. |
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Webinar on Stabilising Food Systems in a Poly-Crisis: The Countercyclical Role of PDBs in Response to the Persian Gulf Crisis |
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| 13 May 2026 | Online
Food systems are shaped far beyond the farm, across energy, input, and financial systems, where Public Development Banks play a decisive role in absorbing shocks and sustaining resilience. On 13 May, the Agri-PDB Platform and IFAD convened a diverse group of panellists for an interactive discussion moderated by Sandra Martinsone. The insights delivered by Pieternel Boogaard, Managing Director at IFAD's Office of Technical Delivery, Carola Alvarez, Managing Director at IFAD's Office of Development Effectiveness, Joe Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus at the International Food Policy Research Institute, and Oliver Oliveros, Executive Coordinator at the Agroecology Coalition provided a comprehensive analysis of the scale and implications of the Persian Gulf Crisis. Contributions from PDBs representatives - Arianna Núñez Cabrera from Bancoagrícola (Dominican Republic), and Tom Akeno from the Agricultural Finance Corporation (Kenya) – offered concrete perspectives on the fundamental role Public Development Banks can play in times of crisis.
The session created a valuable space to exchange evidence and operational experience, and to explore coordinated financial responses. It highlighted the importance of the countercyclical role of Public Development Banks, which addresses both immediate stabilization needs and the structural transition required to reduce future risks. |
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Webinar on series on Key Performance Indicators
Data Management for Impact Indicators: From Manual Systems to Digital and Advanced Technologies - Webinar held in English |
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| 21 May 2026 | Online
Data management is no longer only a technical issue. It is becoming a strategic lever to better monitor impact, strengthen accountability, improve decision-making, and better demonstrate the contribution of financial institutions to sustainable development. For the last session, in English, of our webinar series dedicated to KPIs, Justin Sykes, Founder and Managing Director of Innovest Advisory, Nabil Kesraoui, Sustainable Finance Expert, CEO of FindevAdvisory, and Nejib Ajili, Monitoring & Evaluation and Sustainable Agriculture Expert, CEO of Djossour Formation & Conseil, explored practical approaches to building reliable, relevant, and actionable impact indicators. The webinar addressed key challenges related to data quality, heterogeneous systems, and incomplete datasets, while discussing concrete and proportionate solutions tailored to the operational realities and capacities of agricultural Public Development Banks. |
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| Strengthening the PDB Network |
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| This month, the Agri-PDB Platform explored collaboration opportunities with the APEX Development Institution Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF). During the discussions, PKSF highlighted its strong national mandate in agriculture, noting that approximately 50% of its portfolio is dedicated to the sector, and presented several of its flagship initiatives in the sector. The discussions identified key areas of mutual interest for potential support, including: (i) financial instruments and risk-sharing mechanisms; (ii) digital transformation; (iii) agroecology and ecological farming; (iv) resource mobilisation to increase financing for rural farmers and microenterprises; and (v) nutrition and food safety. |
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In June, the Agri-PDB Platform will participate in the Closing Workshop for the FAO’s Technical Assistance to CILSS on Training Nine Countries in the LSIPT and GLEAM-i Tools, which will be held in Accra, Ghana from 9-11 June. On 11 June, the Platform will engage in the 4th edition of the inter-rives exchanges. This multi-stakeholder workshop, which will be held in IFAD headquarters, is intended to help formulate credible and actionable recommendations on adaptation financing, endorsed by on-the-ground stakeholders and experts in agricultural financing. In parallel, the Platform will continue its learning series with upcoming webinars in focusing on insurance, carbon credit and key performance indicators. |
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