Innovation and Knowledge for Investment (IK4I)
The Investment Centre provides a strong evidence-based voice on investment and finance solutions through its Innovation and Knowledge for Investment (IK4I) work.
By harnessing FAO’s technical expertise and leveraging partnerships with key financing and research institutions, the Centre fills critical knowledge gaps. It also shares the latest thinking and practical tools to support investment.
The growing body of investment knowledge products covers a wide range of topics – from scaling up agrifood investments for and by youth in Africa, to decarbonizing agrifood systems, among many others.
Latest stories
The potential of bioinputs for greener agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
17/06/2025
The Centre published Bioinputs: investment opportunities in Latin America. The report, part of FAO’s IK4I series, examines the economic viability, investment potential and social and environmental benefits of agricultural bioinputs in the region Agricultural bioinputs – products from plants, animals or microbes – are often used as supplements or natural alternatives to more synthetic agrochemicals.
Urban agriculture is experiencing a growth spurt
22/01/2025
Feeding our cities: How the COVID-19 pandemic reshaped the movement of food in urban areas
02/12/2024
The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way food is moved, sold and bought in urban areas worldwide – creating some new trends and accelerating others.
Why investing in climate-efficient agrifood systems infrastructure matters
20/11/2024
Latest publications
Investment Briefs
Smart farmers – Learning with digital technologies
12/2021
Strengthening the skills and capabilities of agricultural producers, especially smallholder producers, to successfully manage their agricultural enterprises...
Investment Briefs
Investing in agricultural water management - Pathways to a sustainable future
12/2021
Climate change, emerging technologies and other disruptive factors are changing the way water is used for agriculture. This brief identifies...
Investment Briefs
The Shortest Path: Accelerating investment towards carbon-neutral agri-food systems
11/2021
As the world gears...
Country Investment Highlights
Up-skilling human capital for value-chain competitiveness in Uruguay
10/2021
Investing in farmers - or agriculture human capital - is crucial to addressing challenges in our global agri-food systems, from...
Country Investment Highlights
Institutionalizing farmer field schools: Twigire Muhinzi National Extension System in Rwanda
10/2021
Investing in farmers – or agriculture human capital – is crucial to...
Country Investment Highlights
Rural Empowerment and Agricultural Development Scaling-up Initiative in Indonesia
10/2021
Investing in farmers through public-private-producer partnerships Rural Empowerment and Agricultural Development Scaling-up...
Country Investment Highlights
Collaborating to develop agricultural skills: Capacity building agencies in the United States of America
10/2021
Investing in farmers – or agriculture human capital – is crucial to...
Country Investment Highlights
Motivating farmers' market-oriented production - Smallholder horticulture empowerment and promotion approach in Kenya
10/2021
Kenya’s Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion Approach provides technical and soft skills based on the theory of self-determination. The...
Country Investment Highlights
Jharkhand Opportunities for Harnessing Rural Growth Programme in India
10/2021
nvesting in farmers – or agriculture human capital – is crucial to...
Investment Toolkits
Renewable energy for agrifood chains - Investing in solar energy in Rwanda
09/2021
This report presents a structured approach to identify and estimate the market size of specific renewable energy technologies that have...
Country Investment Highlights
Strengthening smallholder producers' skills and market access - Productive Alliance Programme in Chile
09/2021
This case study report...
Investment Briefs
Investment planning for supply to agro-industrial parks - Lessons from sub-Saharan Africa
09/2021
This brief highlights potential challenges faced to increase agricultural production and improve supply chains when setting up agro-industrial parks,...