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FOOD AND AGRICULTURE What it is The Food and Agriculture Organization was founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agriculture productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations. Today, FAO is the largest specialized agency in the United Nations system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry and rural development. An intergovernmental organization, FAO has 174 Member Nations plus a member organization, the European Community. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life.
What it does Development assistance
Click here for infomation on Telefood Information FAO collects, analyses, interprets and disseminates information relating to nutrition, food, agriculture, forestry and fisheries. The Organization serves as a clearing-house, providing farmers, scientists, traders and government planners with the information they need to make rational decisions on planning, investment, marketing, research or training. Advice to Governments Drawing on its widespread information networks and the skills and experience of its technical staff, FAO provides independent advice on agricultural policy and planning, and the administrative and legal structures needed for development. It includes national strategies towards rural development, increased food security and the alleviation of poverty. Neutral forum FAO provides a neutral forum where all nations can meet to discuss and formulate policy on major food and agriculture issues. FAO approves international standards and helps frame international conventions and agreements and regularly hosts major conferences, technical meetings and consultations of experts. FAO in India For the last decades FAO has continuously been a partner in India’s development from a food deficit country to a net food exporting country. FAO concentrates on its technical assistance in a relatively small number of catalytic areas where high quality technical assistance can be effectively leveraged into a large quantum of ultimate development. FAO’s current focus in India is mainly on plant production activities, forestry, fisheries, nutrition, and food quality & safety. Regular Support
Technical Cooperation Programme The FAO’s own Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) is funded from the Organizations Regular Programme, and is used to respond rapidly to urgent and unforeseen requests for technical and emergency assistance. By its very nature, the TCP is unprogrammed. Other characteristics are its limited project duration; low costs; practical orientation; and catalytic role and complementarity to other sources of assistance. Examples of TCP projects in India are:
Trust Fund projects Trust Funds are set up and administered by FAO on behalf of the countries and institutions that donate them and on behalf of the recipient countries that benefit from them. The twelve current Trust Fund projects cover a wide range: forestry, fisheries, local fibre industries, animal genetic resources, integrated pest control, watershed management, population and development dynamics and wood energy development Four World Bank funded Trust Fund projects specifically emphasize capacity building through fellowships and study tours. The Agriculture Human Resources Development project has trained some 200 fellows whereas 50 are under training. UNDP funded projects FAO provides technical assistance to the execution of UNDP funded projects. The current areas of involvement are: establishment of a phytotron facility, plant quarantine and inspection facilities, oilseeds & pulses, biovillage demonstration, and forestry. The FAO Representation in India
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specific priority of the Organization is encouraging sustainable agriculture and rural
development, a long-term strategy for increasing food production and food security while
conserving and managing natural resources. The aim is to meet the needs of both present
and future generations by promoting development that does not degrade the environment and
its technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.
FAO
gives practical help to developing countries through a wide range of technical assistance
projects. The Organization encourages an integrated approach, with environmental, social
and economic considerations included in the formulation of development projects.
The
FAO in India provides regular support to many activities within its mandate, particularly
in the field of Food Security and Nutrition. Household food security through small and
large scale production activities, community nutrition, nutrition education, street foods,
food safety and quality control are examples of issues FAO supports through its elaborate
technical services in its Head Quarters in Rome and Regional Office in Bangkok. A special
interests lies in the field of vulnerability mapping through the establishment of a Food
Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS ) and the preparation
of a Nutrition Country Profile for India. In addition, under its Special Programme for
Food Security, FAO supports the design of a large scale maize production scheme.