FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization

Abbreviation	FAO
Formation	16 October 1945
Type	Specialized agency
Headquarters	Rome, Italy
Membership	194 member states
Director-General	Qu Dongyu
Website	www.fao.org

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security. It was founded on 16 October 1945 in Quebec City, Canada, and its headquarters are located in Rome, Italy.

History

The FAO was established in response to the need for an international organization to address global food and agricultural issues. The idea was first proposed at the United Nations Conference on Food and Agriculture held in Hot Springs, Virginia, in 1943. The organization was officially founded in 1945, with the aim of raising levels of nutrition and standards of living, improving agricultural productivity, and bettering the condition of rural populations.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the FAO are to:

• Eradicate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.
• Eliminate poverty and drive forward economic and social progress for all.
• Ensure the sustainable management and utilization of natural resources, including land, water, air, climate, and genetic resources, for the benefit of present and future generations.

Structure

The FAO is governed by the Conference of Member Nations, which meets every two years to review the work carried out by the organization and approve a Programme of Work and Budget for the next biennium. The Council of the FAO acts as an executive organ between sessions of the Conference.

The organization is headed by a Director-General, who is elected by the Conference. The current Director-General is Qu Dongyu, who took office on 1 August 2019.

Key Initiatives

The FAO undertakes a wide range of initiatives, including:

• The Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) which provides information on food supply and demand.
• The Codex Alimentarius Commission, which develops food standards, guidelines, and codes of practice to protect consumer health and ensure fair practices in the food trade.
• The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC), which aims to protect cultivated and wild plants by preventing the introduction and spread of pests.

Publications

The FAO produces a variety of publications, including the annual State of Food and Agriculture report, which provides comprehensive analysis of key issues in food and agriculture.

Also see

• World Food Programme
• International Fund for Agricultural Development
• United Nations Development Programme
• World Health Organization

References

• FAO. (2023). About FAO. Retrieved from www.fao.org/about/en/
• FAO. (2023). FAO in Action. Retrieved from www.fao.org/in-action/en/