Vatican meeting underscores shared priorities on food security, peace and rural livelihoods

On 15th January 2026, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV met with Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), in a private audience at the Apostolic Palace. The meeting highlighted a strong convergence between the Holy Father’s social vision and IFAD’s mandate to transform rural lives and economies in some of the world’s poorest regions.

During the audience, President Lario expressed appreciation for Pope Leo XIV’s consistent emphasis on human dignity, inclusion and support for vulnerable communities. These priorities closely mirror IFAD’s investments and programmes in rural areas affected by conflict, climate shocks and food insecurity.

“IFAD and the Holy See share the conviction that everyone, especially in rural areas, must be given the opportunity to lead productive lives, earn a decent income, and live in peace. These are the fundamentals for all human beings to live in dignity,” President Lario said.

Pope Leo XIV’s long pastoral experience in Peru was a key point of connection during the discussions. IFAD’s work in the country includes the Avanzar Rural project, which has increased rural incomes by an average of 40 per cent, demonstrating the impact of community-driven development in strengthening livelihoods and local economies.

The conversation also focused on the role of rural development, particularly for young people, in preventing instability and forced migration. IFAD’s programmes show that when rural families gain access to resources, markets and resilience tools, they are able to grow incomes, build small businesses and unlock new economic opportunities. These outcomes strengthen rural economies and reduce vulnerability to conflict and displacement.

Evidence from IFAD-supported countries illustrates this link. In Ethiopia, every one per cent increase in land productivity across IFAD investments was associated with a three per cent reduction in local conflicts. In Mali, districts that did not receive investments experienced an eight per cent rise in local conflicts compared to districts that benefited from financial assistance and rural advisory programmes.

President Lario also welcomed the Pope’s moral leadership in encouraging global solidarity and promoting a more just and inclusive world.

“We are inspired by Pope Leo XIV’s call to promote the craft of peace,” Lario said. “Investing in rural people delivers lasting stability and shared prosperity.”

The meeting took place as IFAD prepared to launch its new three-year replenishment campaign to mobilise core resources for investments in rural people from 2028 to 2030. The discussions came against a global backdrop where hunger remains widespread. An estimated 8.2 per cent of the world’s population, about 673 million people, experienced hunger in 2024, even as the figure declined slightly from previous years. Around 80 per cent of the world’s poorest people continue to live in rural areas of developing countries.

For Africa, where rural communities form the backbone of economies yet remain disproportionately exposed to poverty, climate shocks and conflict, the message from Vatican City carried particular weight. Investments in rural people are not only about food and income, but about dignity, peace and long-term stability. As African countries continue to navigate development challenges shaped by history and youthfulness, partnerships that place rural communities at the centre offer a realistic and hopeful path forward.

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