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FAO

Help eliminate hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition

Our challenge: there is sufficient capacity in the world to produce enough food tofeed everyone adequately; nevertheless, in spite of progress made over the last twodecades, 870 million people still suffer from chronic hunger. Among children, it isestimated that 171 million under five years of age are chronically malnourished(stunted), almost 104 million are underweight, and about 55 million are acutelymalnourished (wasted).

Our mandate is to support members in their efforts to ensure that people haveregular access to enough high-quality food. We can help by supporting policies andpolitical commitments that promote food security and good nutrition and by makingsure that up-to-date information about hunger and malnutrition challenges and

solutions is available and accessible.

Make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more productive and sustainable

The worlds population is predicted to increase to 9 billion people by 2050. Some ofthe worlds highest rates of population growth are predicted to occur in areas that

are highly dependent on the agriculture sector (crops. Livestock, forestry andfisheries) and have high rates of food insecurity. Growth in the agriculture sector is

one of the most effective means of reducing poverty and achieving food security. Wemust ensure that increased productivity does not only benefit the few, and that thenatural resource base can provide services (pollination, nutrient cycling in soils,quality water, etc.) that enhance sustainability.

Reduce rural poverty

Most of the worlds poor live in rural areas. Hunger and food insecurity above all are

expressions of rural poverty. Reducing rural poverty, therefore, is central to FAOs

mission. Many living in rural areas have been lifted out of poverty in recent decades.

In 1990, 54% of those living in rural areas in developing countries lived on less than$1.25 a day and were considered extremely poor. By 2010, this share had droppedto 35%. Rural poverty remains widespread especially in South Asia and Africa.These regions have also seen least progress in improving rural livelihoods. FAOstrikes to help smallholders improve farm productivity whilst aiming to alsoincrease off-farm employment opportunities and find better ways for ruralpopulations to manage and cope with risks in their environments .

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Enable inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems

With increasing globalization, agriculture as an independent sector will cease toexist, becoming instead, just one part of an integrated value chain. The value chain

exits both upstream and downstream, or from production through to processingand sales, in which the whole is now highly concentrated, integrated and globalized.This poses a huge challenge for smallholder farmers and agricultural producers inmany developing countries where even the most economically valid smallholderscan easily be excluded from important parts of the value chain.

Increasing their participation in food and agricultural systems is critical to achievingFAOs goal of a world without hunger.

Increase the resilience of livelihoods to disasters

Each year, millions of people who depend on the production, marketing andconsumption of crops, livestock, fish, forests and other natural resources areconfronted by disasters and crises. They can strike suddenly - like an earthquake ora violent coup dtat - or unfold slowly - like drought-flood cycles. They can occur asa single event, one can trigger another,or multiple events can converge and interactsimultaneously with cascading and magnified effects. These emergencies threatenthe production of, and access to, food at local, national and, at times, regional andglobal levels. FAOs mission is to help countries govern, prevent and mitigate risks

and crises and support them in preparing and responding to disasters.

Structure and finance

Governance

Representatives of members meet at the biennial FAO Conference to review globalgovernance policy issues and international frameworks, as well as to evaluate workcarried out and to approve the budget for the next biennium. The Conference electsCouncil Members, to serve three-year rotating terms to carry out executiveoversight of programme and budgetary activities. The Conference also elects aDirector-General to a four year term of office, renewable once. The current Director-General, Jos Graziano da Silva, assumed his functions on 1 January 2012 for a term

which expires on 31 July 2015.

FAOs new focus on governance is driven by the recognition that mission-criticaldevelopment-related processes affecting food security and nutrition, livelihoods,and the management and sustainable use of natural resources confront increasinglycomplex governance challenges. Broader, more flexible and responsive, and morecapable governance institutions and mechanisms are necessary to improve effective

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coordination among diverse stakeholders, enabling problem-solving while workingtowards the achievement of multiple, and sometimes conflicting, objectives.

FAO promotes good practice in addressing governance challenges across itsStrategic Objectives by strengthening its contribution to global governance,

identifying mission-critical governance issues at national, regional and multilaterallevels, strengthening staff capacity to support improved governance andmonitoring and evaluating its interventions assessing its experiences for lessonslearnt with a view to build our governance-suport capacities.

Departments

FAO is composed of six departments: Agriculture and Consumer Protection;Economic and Social Development; Fisheries and Aquaculture; Forestry; CorporateServices, Human Resources and Finance; and Technical Cooperation.

Offices

FAOs decentralized network includes five regional offices, 10 subregional offices,

two multidisciplinary teams, 74 fully fledged country offices (excluding those hostedin regional and subregional offices), eight offices with technical officers/FAORepresentatives, and 38 countries covered through multiple accreditation. Inaddition, the Organization maintains five liaison offices and four information officesin developed countries.

Staff

As of 1 November 2013, FAO employed 1795 professional staff (including JuniorProfessional Officers, Associate Professional Officers and National ProfessionalOfficers) and 1654 support staff. Figures only refer to staff holding fixed term andcontinuing appointments. Approximately 58 percent are based at headquarters inRome, while the remainder work in offices worldwide. During the last 15 years, theproportion of women in the professional staff category has nearly doubled, from 19percent to 37 percent.

Programmes and projects

In 2010-11, FAO implemented programmes and projects with a total value ofUS$1,707 million. About five percent are funded by assessed contributions throughthe FAO Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) and the Special Programme forFood Security (SPFS). The remaining 95 percent are funded from voluntarycontributions, through the Government Cooperative Programme (25 percent),Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) (six percent), other forms of Trust Funds (64 percent),that include UN Joint Programmes.

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Funding and expenditure

FAO's overall programme of work is funded by assessed and voluntarycontributions. The assessed contributions are member countries' contributions, setat the biennial FAO Conference. The total FAO Budget planned for 2014-15 is USD

2.4 billion. The voluntary contributions provided by Members and other partnerssupport technical and emergency (including rehabilitation) assistance togovernments for clearly defined purposes linked to the results framework, as wellas direct support to FAO's core work. The voluntary contributions are expected toreach approximately USD 1,4 billion in 2014-15.

Putting information within reach and supporting the transition to sustainableagriculture. FAO serves as a knowledge network. We use the expertise of our staff -agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists, socialscientists, economists, statisticians and other professionals - to collect, analyse anddisseminate data that aid development.

Strengthening political will and sharing policy expertise. FAO lends its years ofexperience to member countries in devising agricultural policy, supportingplanning, drafting effective legislation and creating national strategies to achieverural development and hunger alleviation goals. We advocate for theimplementation of these policies and programmes, encouraging sufficient financialresources to be made available, the right organizational structures to be in place,and importantly, ensuring adequate human capacities.

Bolstering public-private collaboration to improve smallholder agriculture. As aneutral forum, FAO provides the setting where rich and poor nations can come

together to build common understanding. We also engage the food industry andnon-profits in providing support and services to farmers and facilitate greaterpublic and private investments in strengthening the food sector

On any given day, dozens of policy-makers and experts from around the globeconvene at headquarters or in our field offices to forge agreements on major foodand agriculture issues.

Bringing knowledge to the field. Our breadth of knowledge is put to the test inthousands of field projects throughout the world. FAO mobilizes and managesmillions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and

other sources to make sure the projects achieve their goals. In crisis situations, wework side-by-side with the World Food Programme and other humanitarianagencies to protect rural livelihoods and help people rebuild their lives.

Supporting countries prevent and mitigate risks. FAO develops mechanisms tomonitor and warn about multi-hazard risks and threats to agriculture, food andnutrition. We are there to inform countries on successful risk reduction measures

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that they can include in all policies related to agriculture. When need arises, wemake sure disaster response plans are coordinated at all levels.

Results-based management

Salma abdellatif

Salmaamr@live.com

FAO uses results-based management. This is an approach that integrates strategy, people, resouimprove decision-making while increasing transparency and accountability. The focus is on melearning from experience and adjusting to new conditions, reporting outcomes, and achieving o

MoreHow is FAO funded?

The total FAO Budget planned for 2014-15 is USD 2.4 billion. Of this amount, 41 percent comesmember countries, while 59 percent will be mobilized through voluntary contributions from M

How does FAO allocate its assessed and voluntary contributions?

FAO's overall programme of work is funded by assessed and voluntary contributions.Member

the regular budget, set at the biennial FAO Conference. The FAO regular budget for the 2014-15voluntary contributions provided by Members and other partners support technical and emergto governments for clearly defined purposes linked to the results framework, as well as direct scontributions are expected to reach approximately USD 1,4 billion in 2014-15.

mailto:Salma%E2%80%94amr@live.commailto:Salma%E2%80%94amr@live.commailto:Salma%E2%80%94amr@live.commailto:Salma%E2%80%94amr@live.comhttp://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/rbm/en/http://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/rbm/en/http://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/country-contributions/en/http://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/country-contributions/en/http://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/country-contributions/en/http://www.fao.org/about/strategic-planning/rbm/en/mailto:Salma%E2%80%94amr@live.com

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Salmaamr@live.com