Huffington Post: After Ebola: Why Rural Development Matters in a Time of Crisis
Kanayo F. Nwanze, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development

“…A food crisis seems increasingly likely to follow in the wake of the [Ebola] epidemic, which has devastated small-scale farmers. Without investment in their long-term development, farming households — and West Africa’s future food security — will remain at risk. … Investing in rural men, women, and children is what institutions like IFAD do every day. But there must be a significant increase in both resources and political will. Governments, development agencies, the private sector, and others all have roles to play. With long-term rural investment, we can shift from a crisis-to-crisis approach by taking measures that sustainably reduce poverty, ensure food security, and promote social development in vulnerable communities…” (1/26).