World Bank-hosted fund opens $163m grants program to bolster food security for world’s poorest farmers

New grants will support smallholder farmers in low-income countries as global hunger nears record highs and development aid faces historic decline

WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, May 13, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- A new US$163 million call for proposals has been launched by the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a World Bank-hosted multilateral fund. The call invites governments in the world’s poorest countries to apply for grants to strengthen food security, build climate resilience, and improve livelihoods for smallholder farmers.

The launch comes at a critical moment, with 266 million people across 47 countries experiencing high levels of acute food insecurity in 2025, the second-highest severity on record and nearly double the proportion affected a decade ago.

Conflict remains the primary driver, compounded by climate shocks, recent rises in fertilizer prices due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, and economic volatility. At the same time, overseas development assistance fell 23 percent in 2025, the steepest single-year decline on record. Bilateral aid to the world’s least developed countries is projected to fall by as much as a quarter.

The ninth call for proposals from national governments by GAFSP responds directly to these challenges, prioritising applications from fragile and conflict-affected states. Some 60 percent of GAFSP's existing grant funding is already dedicated to conflict-affected countries, and this call is designed to deepen that reach. The call also introduces a new focus on innovative and integrated solutions, rewarding proposals that coherently tackle challenges related to negative climate impacts, nutrition, and women’s empowerment together.

“Smallholder farmers feed their families and their nations, yet they are among the last to receive investment. They bear the sharpest consequences of conflict, climate shocks, and economic volatility,” said Dr. Shobha Shetty, Head, GAFSP. “As development budgets tighten across the board, GAFSP offers something increasingly rare through flexible, country-owned grant funding that reaches the places that need it most and invests for the long term.”

Since 2010, GAFSP has mobilized more than US$2.46 billion in donor contributions, supporting agri-food investments in 53 low-income countries and reaching more than 39 million people. Of that, more than US$1.12 billion in grant financing has been directed to 32 fragile and conflict-affected countries. GAFSP's pooled resources, diverse financing toolkit, and network of on-the-ground multilateral partners make it uniquely placed to channel investment into the fragile contexts where other funders cannot or will not go.

In post-conflict Liberia, GAFSP's US$46.5 million Smallholder Agricultural Productivity Enhancement and Commercialisation project benefited approximately 155,000 people. Improved seeds, modern machinery, and better agricultural practices boosted staple crop yields, while investment in rural roads and cooperatives helped reintegrate former combatants and displaced communities into productive economic life. The country-owned project illustrates what long-term agricultural investment can achieve in some of the world's most fragile and conflict-affected environments.

Country-led grants are one of several complementary financing tracks through which GAFSP operates, alongside dedicated grants for producer organizations, a private sector window, and a business investment financing track. Together, these tracks allow GAFSP to channel public and private finance from the grassroots level to national policy, connecting smallholder cooperatives, agribusinesses, and governments within a single coherent programme.

“As a former minister of agriculture, I know that what changes lives for smallholder farmers is not just money, but the right kind of money - rooted in country priorities and built to last,” said Agnes Kalibata, Co-Chair of the GAFSP Steering Committee and former Rwandan Minister of Agriculture. “At a moment when development finance for agriculture is under unprecedented pressure, this call is a statement of commitment to the millions of farming families who cannot afford for the world to look away.”

Eligible countries are those classified as active International Development Association (IDA)-only members, the World Bank’s facility for the world’s poorest nations. The call also complements AgriConnect, a World Bank initiative that connects smallholder farmers to digital markets, financial services, and agricultural inputs. By directing grants to IDA-only countries and prioritizing fragile contexts - where digital and financial infrastructure is often weakest - GAFSP helps ensure the benefits of initiatives like AgriConnect reach the farmers and communities hardest to serve.

A four-month submission window runs until 15 September 2026, with awards expected in January 2027. GAFSP will host informational webinars and maintain a live FAQ at www.gafspfund.org throughout the submission window.

Harvey Presence
Marchmont Communications
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