Washington DC, 12.10.2013 - The Islamic Development Bank (IDB) has signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Washington DC in order to boost food security for rural dwellers in IDB member countries.

IDB Vice President (Operations), Mr. Birama Sidibe and IFPRI Director General Dr. Shenggen Fan signed the MOU for the two institutions. Welcoming the agreement, Mr. Sidibe described it as an opportunity for both institutions to benefit from each other’s experience and called for enhanced coordination between the IDB and IFPRI, to ensure that the countries concerned benefit from this initiative.

In his response, Dr. Shenggen Fan thanked the IDB for taking steps to further address food and nutrition security and stated: “If we can work together better, and move faster, that will be good”. The agreement focuses on the following major areas:
1. Collaborate to increase agricultural productivity and food security
2. Pursue, where appropriate, joint fund-raising programs
3. Identify joint projects in Member Countries to be financed or co-financed by IDB.