ENA Sectors 2026-05-13 16:50:44 <p><span style="font-size:14px"><strong>New Delhi, May 13 (KNN)</strong> The Government of India, in partnership with the International Fund for Agricultural Development, (IFAD) has launched a new eight-year Country Strategic Opportunities Programme (COSOP) for 2026 2033 aimed at strengthening rural incomes, improving resilience and expanding sustainable livelihood opportunities across the country.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The announcement was made during the IFAD India Partnership for Rural Prosperity event held at Bharat Mandapam in the presence of senior government officials, IFAD representatives, development partners and private sector stakeholders.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The COSOP 2026 2033 aligns with the Government of Indias Viksit Bharat@2047 vision and focuses on enhancing the social, economic and climate resilience of rural communities, while strengthening knowledge systems to scale successful development models across India and countries of the Global South.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Addressing the event, Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, Anuradha Thakur said that India-IFAD partnership is distinguished by not only its longevity, but its strategic alignment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">IFADs programs in India have remained closely integrated with national priorities supporting agricultural transformation, livelihood diversification, womens empowerment, and institutional strengthening. </span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">She further said that Over time, the focus has evolved from basic poverty alleviation to building sustainable, market-oriented rural livelihoods that are resilient to climate and economic shocks.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Associate Vice-President, IFAD, Donal Brown said the collaboration aims to create systems connecting institutions, finance, infrastructure and markets to deliver long-term benefits for rural communities.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">According to officials, the strategy places strong emphasis on strengthening grassroots institutions such as Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and cooperatives to improve access to finance, technology, infrastructure and markets.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">The programme also seeks to position India as a knowledge partner in rural development by sharing successful models related to rural finance, cooperative governance, digital agriculture services and climate-resilient value chains with countries across Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">On the sidelines of the event, IFAD and National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development signed a strategic partnership agreement to strengthen rural finance systems and support innovation in agriculture and allied sectors.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px">Indias partnership with IFAD spans nearly five decades and has included 35 rural development projects implemented across multiple states, supporting millions of rural households and contributing to inclusive growth.</span></p> <p><span style="font-size:14px"><em><strong>(KNN Bureau)</strong></em></span><br /> </p> 46106 https://knnindia.co.in/news/newsdetails/sectors/govt-ifad-launch-eight-year-cosop-programme-to-strengthen-rural-economy-livelihoods 2026-05-13 16:50:44 knnindia.co.in