The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. IFAD works to eradicate rural poverty in developing countries. Working with rural poor people, governments, donors, non-governmental organizations and many other partners, IFAD focuses on country-specific solutions, which can involve increasing rural poor peoples' access to financial services, markets, technology, land and other natural resources. Rural finance is considered by IFAD as a vital tool in poverty reduction and rural development. Its four major policy themes are:

• Building sustainable rural finance institutions with outreach to the rural poor
• Fostering stakeholder participation, including the poor, in the development of rural finance
• Building a diversified rural financial infrastructure
• Promoting a conducive policy and regulatory environment

IFAD is a member of CGAP.