As the world belatedly turns its attention to the pressing issues of environmental degradation, resource scarcity and climate change, the concept of sustainability takes its rightful place at centre stage in discussions about agricultural and rural development. The Thirty-fifth Session of IFAD’s Governing Council provided a forum for Member States, partners and the public to discuss and debate what needs to be done to enable smallholder farmers to contribute to raising food availability by70 per cent by 2050, which is what will be required to feed a growing, more urbanized population.