About Agricola Medal:
- It is the highest honour conferred by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
- It is awarded to distinguished individuals who have played an exceptional role in advancing efforts toward global food security, improved nutrition and agricultural development.
- It is considered one of the highest honours granted by the Organization in recognition of outstanding leadership and tangible contributions in these fields.
Key Facts about Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO):
- 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. FAO was founded on October 16, 1945, when its constitution was signed in Canada’s Quebec City by 34 countries.
- Headquarters: Rome,
- Mandate: To improve nutrition, increase agricultural productivity, raise the standard of living in rural populations, and contribute to global economic growth.
- FAO’s goal is to achieve food and security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food and lead active, healthy lives.
- Functions:
- The FAO coordinates the efforts of governments and technical agencies in programs for developing agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and land and water resources.
- It is both a forum for negotiating agreements between developing and developed countries and a source of technical knowledge and information to aid development.
- The FAO also collaborated with the United Nations to establish the World Food Programme (WFP) to distribute surplus food to those in need.
- Members: It currently has 195 members – 194 countries and the European Union. (India is a founding member of FAO).
- It is governed by the biennial FAO conference, in which each member country, as well as the EU, is represented.
- The conference elects a 49-member Council, which serves as its executive organ.
- 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).
- World Food Day is observed annually on October 16 to commemorate the founding of FAO in 1945.
