United Nations for the food and agriculture

Mission and activities

To provide an technical assistance to the Developing country.
To provide information and to harmonize the standards in the fields of the Nutrition, the Agriculture, the Forest S and the fishing, in particular by the means of its publications (for example: periodic reports/ratios on agriculture, fishing and the forests), and of its databases.
To advise the governments and to provide them a space of multilateral debate.
To organize neutral forums between the States to discuss main issues relating to agriculture and the food.
In collaboration with WHO, FAO develops the Codex alimentarius, system of international standardization out of food matter.
Secretariat and maintenance of the System of follow-up of fishing resources (FIRMS).

FAO was reduced of part of its initial mandate following creation of WFP, on the one hand, and of FIDA, on the other hand, organizations also located in Rome. Consequently, the Food aid does not raise any more its principal attributions.

FAO and Organic farming

In a report/ratio on the International Conference on the organic farming and the food safety which was taken place in Rome in May 2007, FAO notes that the Organic farming, extended to large scales, would be capable to nourish planet. It underlines its relevance vis-a-vis the Intensive agriculture using of the Pesticides, of manures resulting from petrochemistry, to see GMO. This analysis is made compared to the costs, with the outputs obtained in the long run, an increased resistance of the ecosystems vis-a-vis the climatic stresses, to the reduction of the use of the fossil fuels and to the independence which it gets to the farmers and for the states. In addition, it notes that the Organic farming is capable to prevent the swelling of the Bidonvilles, to maintain the structures rural, in particular thanks to the fact that it requires more labor.

Criticisms

FAO does not provide food aid. This spot was entrusted to the World food program

Crisis

FAO ordered in 2005 with a group of expert one audit of independent Externe evaluation . A pre-report/ratio (at the end of July 2007) estimates that FAO is " at the edge of the gouffre" ; its personnel being démotivé by “exceeded administrative systems and rigides" and a " bureaucracy tatillonne". The influence of FAO “declines”, its services losing of their comparative advantage, which encourages the financeurs to decrease his budget (of 370 million USD/an, that is to say 270 d'€ million, but which decreased by 20% since 1995). Its standpoint is considered sometimes contradictory and badly included/understood; promotion of an agriculture productivist according to war, hunger relief, then promotion of the GMO in 2004 before conversely announcing that the organic farming “with a true political will”, could contribute to the food safety of planet.
Ce pre-report/ratio invites FAO with " réinventer" , its existence remaining necessary and its initial objectives not being reached. It should be repositioned, in particular compared to ONG which occupy an increasing place in the field of the food aid and with the development of a durable agriculture. The pre-report/ratio concluded by 110 recommendations to adapt to a context which evolved/moved. The final report is waited in November 2007.

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