Opening Doors – Opportunities in International Development

Growing up on Dublin’s North side, my ambitions for my future were straightforward – I wanted to become a hairdresser (I was quite good at doing French plaits) or become the local bank manager, providing funding to support my community. I settled on the finance route by the time I landed in DCU. What I never could have imagined was that the “bank” would turn out to be the United Nations agency, IFAD, and the “community” would be the world’s rural farmers. That unexpected path reflects the essence of international development – connecting finance with people’s aspirations to create opportunities that can transform lives and strengthen communities.

We all know that international development faces enormous challenges, from climate change to food insecurity, yet it also holds unprecedented opportunities for impact. It brings together governments, financial institutions, civil society and the private sector, moving billions of dollars each year to build more inclusive and sustainable futures. At its best, it combines ideals with the rigour of finance and governance.

At IFAD, both a UN agency and an international financial institution, our mandate is to invest in rural people and help small-scale farmers build resilient livelihoods. This dual identity means balancing the values of the UN system with the fiduciary discipline of a lender, a reflection of how the sector itself has evolved. Increasingly, development is moving away from emergency aid alone, to long-term investment in livelihoods, with blended finance, impact investing and public–private partnerships shaping large-scale projects.

In March, I visited Cambodia, where IFAD has been supporting rural cooperatives to expand farmers’ access to credit and sustainable practices. Much of the work centres on capacity building, from business planning to quality standards and market linkages. By pooling resources, cooperatives can negotiate better prices, reach larger buyers and reduce costs along the value chain.

The commitment of farmers, cooperative leaders and local officials was striking. They spoke of doors opening that they had never thought possible – opportunities to grow their businesses, send children to school and university, and encourage others to join. Projects are already delivering benefits through higher incomes and stronger livelihoods. Road construction linked to these cooperatives will further improve market access, creating opportunities not only for farmers but also for local traders. These efforts may be modest in scale, but their impact is significant. Farmers are building resilience against climate shocks, gaining confidence in their own skills and connecting more directly to markets. The result is not dependence on grants, but the foundations of stronger rural economies.

International development will continue to evolve, particularly as private capital plays a greater role in addressing global challenges. Such progress relies on collaboration and trust. Multi-sector partnerships can bring together the resources and expertise needed to meet challenges at scale. In addition, sound governance and fiduciary management must underpin every decision, ensuring that funds flow where they are needed and that partnerships endure. In this respect, professional standards are as vital in international development as they are in any corporate setting.

Since my days in DCU, I have come to realise that my childhood ambition was not so far off the mark – I did become a kind-of bank manager after all, but one whose community stretches far beyond Dublin to include rural farmers around the world. And I can still do French plaits.

Photo: Members of a Cambodian rural farmers co-operative.

Author: Janet Muir, Director, Procurement & Financial Management Division, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and a triple DCU alumna.