Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

India and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently celebrated 80 years of partnership on World Food Day 2025.

About the FAO

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in October 1945. It is the oldest permanent specialized agency of the UN and plays a crucial role in coordinating international efforts to combat hunger and improve food security worldwide.

Mandate:
The primary goals of FAO include:

• Improving nutrition around the world.

• Increasing agricultural productivity to ensure sustainable food production.

• Raising the standard of living of rural populations.

• Contributing to global economic growth, particularly through agriculture and rural development.

Core Functions:

• Coordinating international efforts: FAO brings together governments and technical agencies to develop strategies for improving agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.

• Fighting hunger: The FAO leads efforts to combat hunger globally, making it a key player in achieving Zero Hunger under the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

• Providing technical knowledge: It offers a platform for the exchange of knowledge, technical assistance, and best practices to support agricultural development.

• Negotiating agreements: FAO serves as a forum for negotiations between developed and developing nations to tackle global food security challenges.

Membership:

• FAO currently has 195 members: 194 countries and the European Union.

• India is a founding member of the FAO and has been actively involved in its work to promote agricultural development and food security globally.

Headquarters:

• The FAO is headquartered in Rome, Italy.

Key Reports Published by FAO

The FAO regularly publishes several important reports that assess global agricultural trends, food security, and environmental challenges:

1. The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO): A report on the status of global forests, addressing issues like deforestation, conservation, and sustainable forestry.

2. The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA): Focuses on global trends in fisheries and aquaculture, addressing sustainability and the role of fisheries in food security.

3. The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO): Provides an analysis of global agricultural markets, trends in prices, and challenges facing agricultural producers.

4. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI): Examines food security trends, malnutrition, and progress toward global food security goals.

India and FAO:

India has had a long and fruitful partnership with the FAO, especially in the context of agricultural development and food security. The partnership has led to:

• Increasing agricultural productivity through modern farming techniques and sustainable practices.

• Enhancing food security by improving the accessibility and affordability of food for India's population.

• Capacity building for farmers, extension workers, and rural communities to adopt innovative agricultural practices.

• Collaborative projects for sustainable land and water management, tackling issues like soil erosion, water conservation, and climate change.

The World Food Day 2025 celebrations marked this successful partnership and underscored the importance of continuing efforts to achieve food security and nutrition for all people, especially in the context of growing global challenges such as climate change, population growth, and economic disparities.

India's partnership with the FAO also highlights its commitment to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 2: Zero Hunger.

FAO’s Role in Addressing Global Hunger and Food Security

As the world faces growing challenges of hunger and malnutrition, the FAO remains at the forefront of efforts to:

• Promote sustainable food systems: Ensuring that food production is both environmentally sustainable and capable of feeding a growing global population.

• Tackle food insecurity: The FAO works to improve access to food, reduce food waste, and address issues of undernutrition and overnutrition.

• Support smallholder farmers: A large part of FAO’s work focuses on supporting small-scale farmers, particularly in developing countries, by providing them with the tools, knowledge, and resources needed to increase productivity and sustainability.

• Climate action in agriculture: FAO helps countries adapt agriculture practices to changing climate conditions, with a focus on resilient food systems.