FAO HEADQUARTER S

Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Rome, Italy Telephone: (+39) 06 57051 Fax: (+39) 06 570 53152 Email: FAO-HQ@fao.org

FAO's mandate
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts - to make sure people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. FAO's mandate is to raise levels of nutrition, improve agricultural productivity, better the lives of rural populations and contribute to the growth of the world economy.

Media Relations Telephone: (+39) 06 570 53625 Fax: (+39) 06 5705 3699 Worldwide offices

Women key to food security FAO at work 2010-2011 This years FAO at work looks at the huge boost to food production that would occur if women farmers were given the same access as men to productive resources such as land and credit enough to feed 100-150 million people. The publication also reviews the evolution of the US$1.5 billion FAO field programme and highlights key events and achievements during the time period. Download full report (PDF): | | english | franais | italiano | | espaol

FAO's activities comprise four main areas:

Putting information within reach. FAO serves as a knowledge network. We use the expertise of our staff - agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists, social scientists, economists, statisticians and other professionals - to collect, analyse and disseminate data that aid development. A million times a month, someone visits the FAO Internet site to consult a technical document or read about our work with farmers. We also publish hundreds of newsletters, reports and books, distribute several magazines, create numerous CD-ROMS and host dozens of electronic fora. Sharing policy expertise. FAO lends its years of experience to member countries in devising agricultural policy, supporting planning, drafting effective legislation and creating national strategies to achieve rural development and hunger alleviation goals. Providing a meeting place for nations. On any given day, dozens of policymakers and experts from around the globe convene at headquarters or in our field offices to forge agreements on major food and agriculture issues. As a neutral forum, FAO provides the setting where rich and poor nations can come together to build common understanding. Bringing knowledge to the field. Our breadth of knowledge is put to the test in thousands of field projects throughout the world. FAO mobilizes and manages millions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and other sources to make sure the projects achieve their goals. FAO provides the technical know-how and in a few cases is a limited source of funds. In crisis situations, we work side-by-side with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies to protect rural livelihoods and help people rebuild their lives.

Structure and finance

Members An intergovernmental organization, FAO has 191 Member Nations, two associate members and one member organization, the European Union. Governance Representatives of members meet at the biennial FAO Conference to review global governance policy issues and international frameworks, as well as to evaluate work carried out and to approve the budget for the next biennium. The Conference elects Council Members, to serve three-year rotating terms to carry out executive oversight of programme and budgetary activities. The Conference also elects a Director-General to a four year term of office, renewable once. The current Director-General, Dr Jacques Diouf of Senegal ends his third term on 31 December 2011. The newly elected DirectorGeneral, Jos Graziano da Silva will assume his functions on 1 January 2012

for a term which expires on 31 July 2015. Departments FAO is composed of seven departments: Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Economic and Social Development; Fisheries and Aquaculture; Forestry; Corporate Services, Human Resources and Finance; Natural Resources Management and Environment; and Technical Cooperation. Offices Besides its headquarters in Rome, FAO is present in over 130 countries. The decentralized network includes five regional offices, 11 subregional offices, two multidisciplinary teams, 74 fully fledged country offices (excluding those hosted in regional and subregional offices), eight offices with technical officers/FAO Representatives, and 36 countries covered through multiple accreditation. In addition, the Organization maintains five liaison offices and four information offices in developed countries. Staff As of 1 April 2011, FAO employed 1 835 professional staff (including Associate Professional Officers and National Professional Officers) and 1 856 support staff. Figures only refer to staff holding fixed term and continuing appointments. Approximately 53 percent are based at headquarters in Rome, while the remainder work in offices worldwide. During the last 15 years, the proportion of women in the professional staff category has more than doubled, from 16 percent to 34 percent. Programmes and projects In 2010, FAO implemented programmes and projects with a total value of US$903 million. About four percent are funded by assessed contributions through the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS). The remaining 96 percent are funded from voluntary contributions, through the Government Cooperative Programme (44 percent), Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) (six percent), other forms of Trust Funds (46 percent), that include UN Joint Programmes. Funding and expenditure FAO's overall programme of work is funded by assessed and voluntary contributions. The assessed contributions are member countries' contributions, set at the biennial FAO Conference. The FAO regular budget for the 20102011 biennium is US$1 billion. The voluntary contributions provided by members and other partners support technical and emergency (including rehabilitation) assistance to governments, as well as direct support to FAO's core work. The voluntary contributions are expected to exceed US$1.2 billion in 2010-11.

FAO renewal forging ahead

A comprehensive programme of organizational reform and culture change began in 2008. Headquarters restructuring and delegation of decision making has created a flatter more responsive structure and reduced costs. Modernizing and streamlining of administrative and operational processes are under way. Improved internal teamwork and closer external partnerships coupled with upgrading of IT infrastructure and greater autonomy of FAO's decentralized offices allows the Organization to respond quickly where needs are greatest. As FAO is primarily a knowledge based organization, investing in human resources is a top priority. Capacity building including a leadership programme, employee rotation and a new junior professional programme has been established. Individual performance management, an ethics officer and an independent office of evaluation are designed to improve performance through learning and strengthened oversight.

A short history of FAO

2010 As the worst floods ever to hit Pakistan wiped out seed stores and killed millions of head of livestock, FAO responded with distribution of wheat seed to half a million farming families in time for the planting season. An additional 235 000 families received feed, medicine and shelter for their animals. 2010 A major communication campaign called "The 1billionhungry project" kicked off in May and reached millions of people worldwide using live events, television, internet, social media and outdoor advertising. The campaign's anti-hunger petition gathered over three million signatures in its first six months. 2009 As the number of hungry reached 1.02 billion, FAO holds a World Summit on Food Security on 16-18 November to inject new urgency into the fight against hunger. Sixty heads of state and government and 192 ministers unanimously adopt a declaration pledging renewed commitment to eradicate hunger from the Earth at the earliest date 2008 FAO holds a high-level conference on 35 June on the impact of climate change and the biofuel boom on food security and food prices. Attended by 43 heads of state and 100 government ministers, the conference adopted a resolution to increase assistance and investment in developing world

agriculture. 2007 All 119 countries at FAO's Committee on Fisheries in Rome agree on a proposal to develop a legally binding measure to tackle illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing practices, which cause severe economic, social, biological and environmental damage. more...

FAO is Part of the United Nations family

The United Nations is a family of organizations. Also known as the United Nations system, it is made up of the United Nations Secretariat, the United Nations programmes and funds, and the UN specialized agencies. The programmes, funds and agencies have their own governing bodies and budgets, and set their own standards and guidelines. Together, they provide technical assistance and other forms of practical help in virtually all areas of economic and social endeavour. FAO is a United Nations specialized agency, accountable to the FAO Conference of member governments. FAO participates in the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) which coordinates economic, social and related work of the 14 UN specialized agencies as well as regional commissions. The Director-General of FAO is a member of the Chief Executives Board (CEB), which brings together on a regular basis the executive heads of the organizations of the United Nations system, under the chairmanship of the Secretary-General of the United Nations. The CEB is the prime instrument for supporting and reinforcing the coordinating role of United Nations intergovernmental bodies on social, economic and related matters. The CEB aligns the strengths of a decentralized system of specialized organizations into a cohesive and functioning whole. It ensures that the UN system delivers as one at the global, regional and country levels on the broad range of commitments made by the international community.

FAO and UN ACADEMIC CIVIL

PRIVATE

RESEARCH SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS INSTITUTIONS

Working with other UN and international organizations for a world without hunger

Basing policies and action on sound scientific research and analysis...

Involving NGOs and civil society in the fight against hunger... Investing in the growth and sustainable development of agriculture...

Partnerships that make a difference

In a world where around 1 billion people are chronically deprived of adequate food, no single individual, organization or sector can solve the problem. Only by sharing knowledge, pooling resources and working together will humanity bring an end to hunger. FAO works in partnership with institutions of all kinds private foundations, grassroots organizations, companies, professional associations, other United Nations agencies, national governments and more. Some partnerships operate at national level or in the field, others are regional or global in nature. FAO works in partnership with others on food security, natural resource management, forestry and fisheries, early warning of food emergencies, disaster recovery, food safety, bioenergy and many other areas.

Contact us
FAO Partnerships Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 00153 Rome, Italy FAO-partnerships@fao.org Tel: (+39) 06 57051 Fax: (+39) 06 570 53152

Partnering with FAO

FAO both contributes to partnerships and benefits from them, with partnerships of various durations. Partnerships are firmly embedded in FAOs way of doing business at global, regional, subregional and national levels. Partnerships include those with UN agencies, research institutions, international financing institutions (IFIs) and other inter-governmental entities. FAO also partners with Governments, civil society including both peoples organizations and NGOs, and the private sector. The Organization also engages in many less formalized networking arrangements. FAO partners to: enhance its technical performance establish horizontal collaboration in strategic or operational programming, funding or advocacy better reach out to the end users of its services

Partnerships in action

Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition

The AAHM is a global network consisting of organizations dedicated to eradicating hunger. The AAHM was formed to catalyze collaboration among international organizations, civil society and non-governmental organizations, scientists and academics, and the private sector, building on national alliances which address local challenges while contributing to the broader, global effort.

The 1billionhungry project

"The 1billionhungry project" is a global communication campaign aimed at making people aware of the vast scale of hunger in the 21st century. It central tool is a worldwide petition drive calling upon national leaders to make the elimination of hunger their top priority. In part, it is a "viral" campaign that taps into the power of the internet and social media. FAO has been working with international organizations, universities, NGOs, farmers organizations and private companies to help raise awareness and build widespread pressure for an end to hunger.

Food and agriculture statistics

The CountrySTAT programme forms partnerships with national statistical offices and ministries of agriculture to introduce the system and build national capacity to use it. CountrySTAT has also forged strategic partnerships with foundations, national donors and regional organizations.

World Food Day 2010

On 16 October 2010, World Food Day entered its 30th year. This auspicious occasion also marked the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The theme of this years observance is United against hunger, chosen to recognize the efforts made in the fight against world hunger at national, regional and international levels.

Creating global solidarity

Since its inception in 1997, the TeleFood initiative has enriched the lives of many people in the developing world and in transition countries. By finacing grassroot-level micro projects the TeleFood Special Fund helps families and small-scale farmers communities produce more food and

generate cash income, for better access to food.

Meeting the ''One UN'' challenge

The UN launched the Delivering as One initiative in 2007. It aims to reduce fragmentation and harness the full capacity of the UN system in support of development at global, regional and country level. Delivering as One is a pilot programme that elaborates an approach characterized by four principles: One programme One budget One leader One set of management systems

It recognises that each country is unique and that the approach must be adapted to the situation and needs of each individual country. Eight countries volunteered to become Delivering as One test pilots: Albania, Cape Verde, Mozambique, Pakistan, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uruguay and Viet Nam. The pilot countries agreed to work with the UN system to capitalize on the strengths and comparative advantages of the different members of the UN family. Together they are experimenting with ways to increase the UN systems impact through more coherent programmes, reduced transaction costs for governments, and lower overhead costs for the UN system. Over the coming years, around 90 countries could adopt the approach tested in the Delivering as One pilots. The UN Development Group (UNDG) supports the Delivering as One approach at the country level. The UNDG unites the 32 UN funds, programmes, agencies, departments, and offices that play a role in development. Their common objective is to deliver more coherent, effective and efficient support to countries seeking to attain internationally agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals. For more information about Delivering as One, visit the United Nations Development Group website.

Resource mobilization

Food security for all is at the heart of FAOs efforts, but this goal can only be achieved with the support of its partners. At a time when new pressures are threatening the poor, from volatile food prices to global warming, effective partnership and strategically-targeted development

assistance are more important than ever. FAO's Resource Mobilization and Management Strategy In light of the above factors, FAO introduced, in 2011, a corporate Resource Mobilization and Management Strategy to guide FAO efforts in mobilizing the resources required to match its Members priorities. The Strategy focuses on forging resource partnerships built on trust and mutual accountability. It aims to achieve higher and more predictable voluntary contributions that fully support FAO's achievements and will work to attain the following outcomes: a) A consolidated, diversified and expanded base of FAO resource

partnerships, with a focus on increasing the share of pooled and softly earmarked funding; b) Wide awareness of and support for FAOs priority areas of work

and related resource requirements; c) An improved Organization-wide capacity for resource

mobilization; d) Resource planning and use effectively managed and reported to

the governing bodies and external partners. FAO's Impact Focus Areas An important communication and partnership tool launched by the Strategy are FAOs Impact Focus Areas (IFAs). The IFAs represent thematic priorities to which resource partners are encouraged to commit resources. They are designed to attract a greater and more predictable volume of voluntary contributions from a larger range of partners, ensuring focused and tangible development impact for financial or in-kind resources. IFAs will give an extra edge to efforts to achieve the United Nations first Millennium Development Goal to halve the proportion of those suffering hunger and poverty by 2015.