Food and Agricultural Organization

The Food and Agriculture Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations that combats global hunger and promotes rural development. It was established in 1945.

• It played a leading role in the global food and agriculture issue areas, overseeing the establishment of important agreements and institutions, including the World Food Programme (WFP), which won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2020.

Functions and Goals

FAO performs the following functions-

• information gathering and dissemination,
• formulation of policy recommendations,
• provision of technical assistance,
• assistance to governments with FAO-related obligations.
• These functions serve the following goals:
• Help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition
• Make agriculture more productive and sustainable
• Reduce rural poverty
• Ensure inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems
• Protect livelihoods from disasters

Membership and Governance

• FAO consists of 197 member states. It is headquartered in Rome, Italy, and maintains regional and field offices around the world, operating in over 130 countries. It is governed by a biennial conference representing each member country and the European Union, which elects a 49-member executive council.