The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The UN specialized agencies are autonomous organizations working with the United Nations.
Its mission is to create food security for all and to guarantee that people have regular access to enough nutritious food to live active, healthy lives. It is at the helm of international efforts to end hunger.
FAO is also a source of expertise and information, assisting developing nations in modernizing and improving agricultural, forestry, and fisheries practices.
It was created in 1945.
World Food Day is celebrated every year on the 16th of October. The day is celebrated to mark the anniversary of the founding of the FAO in 1945.
FAO operates as a neutral venue where all nations meet as equals to establish agreements and discuss policy, serving both developed and developing countries.
Its world headquarters is in Rome (Italy).
Its sister bodies are the World Food Programme and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
Initiatives Taken – The Codex Alimentarius Commission is a joint body of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and WHO, with 188 Member States and one Member Organization (EU). Codex has worked to develop international food standards to protect consumers’ health and ensure fair trade practices.
Initiatives Taken – The FAO started Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) to safeguard and support the world’s agricultural heritage systems. GIAHS are aesthetically pleasing landscapes that integrate agricultural biodiversity, resilient ecosystems, and important cultural heritage.