About Food and Agriculture Organization:
- It is a specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
- It is the oldest permanent specialized agency of the UN, established in October 1945.
- Mandate: To improve nutrition, increase agricultural productivity, raise the standard of living in rural populations, and contribute to global economic growth.
- Functions:
- The FAO coordinates the efforts of governments and technical agencies in programs for developing agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.
- It leads international efforts to fight hunger.
- It is both a forum for negotiating agreements between developing and developed countries and a source of technical knowledge and information to aid development.
- Members: It currently has 195 members – 194 countries and the European Union. (India is a founding member of FAO)
- Funding: FAO receives its funding from its member countries.
- Reports published by the FAO: The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO), The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO), The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).
- Headquarters: Rome, Italy.
