Indigenous and tribal peoples and ethnic minorities are among the poorest and most marginalized people in the world. They are disproportionately represented among rural poor. Many of the poorest groups of indigenous peoples are difficult to reach through mainstream development programmes that’s why in 2006 the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) established a Facility to build a direct partnership with indigenous peoples to enable them and their communities to enable them and their communities to design, approve and implement projects based on their own perspectives. The Facility is called the Indigenous Peoples Assistance Facility (IPAF) (see external Link).  

IPAF is an innovative funding instrument that indigenous communities can use to find their own solutions to the challenges they face. It supports the aspirations of indigenous peoples funding micro-projects that build on their culture, identity, knowledge, natural resources, intellectual property, governance and human rights. The Facility is available to indigenous peoples’ organizations in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia and the Pacific, and South Asia.

Through small grants of up to US$ 50,000, it supports projects that;

• Include indigenous peoples’ development operations
• Improve their access to key decision-making processes
• Empower them to find solutions to the challenges they face
• Promote collaboration in the public and private spheres.

Governance and administration of IPAF

IPAF is governed by a board made up of:

• Four indigenous peoples’ representatives from Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, East Asia and the Pacific, and South Asia
• One representative from the United Nations Permanent Forum for Indigenous Issues (UNPFII)
• One representative from IFAD

The board works closely with specially assigned IFAD staff that are responsible for administrative, technical and financial issues

How IPAF (grants) are awarded

To be considered for funding, local organizations must design their own projects and submit them to IPAF. Currently IPAF call of proposals is carried out every 2 years.

All project proposals are reviewed through a rigorous and competitive process. Funds are awarded based on the criteria of project effectiveness and feasibility, and institutions’ capacity and credibility.

Projects are reviewed to assess to what extent they adhere to the principles of development with culture and identity for indigenous peoples.

The IPAF board, that gives the final approval of projects to be funded, ensures that the grant portfolio is balanced in terms of geography, gender and sector.

IPAF in Africa

The management of the Facility was in 2011 decentralized at regional level, with the support of three indigenous peoples’ organizations. In Africa, Kivulini Trust is the co-managers of IPAF, responsible for;

• Supporting the technical review process of IPAF applications;
• Channeling resources to organizations awarded by the IPAF board;
• Monitoring and supervising IPAF funded projects;
• Strengthening the link between IPAF small projects and IFAD-funded country programmes;
• Documenting and disseminating knowledge generated by IPAF; and
• Supporting IPAF resource mobilization