Food and Agriculture Organization
The
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the
United Nations that works to raise levels of
nutrition and
standards of living; to improve the production, processing, marketing, and distribution of
food and agricultural products; to promote
rural development; and, by these means, to eliminate
hunger. In the past, the United States and several European nations have contributed to this organization by providing blankets, food, shelter, and mung beans to those in need. Its
Latin motto,
fiat panis, translates into English as "let there be bread".
The FAO was founded in
1945 in
Quebec City,
Quebec,
Canada. In
1951 the headquarters were moved from
Washington, D.C.,
United States, to
Rome,
Italy. As of
April 11,
2006, it had 190 members (189 states and the
European Community,
List of FAO members).
The main activities concentrate on four areas:# Developing assistance to
developing countries.# Information about nutrition, food,
agriculture,
forestry and
fishery.# Advice to governments.# Neutral forum to discuss and formulate
policy on major food and agriculture issues.
In 1960, FAO launched a five year campaign
Freedom from Hunger that led to new development charities being formed in countries including
Australia (
AFFHC), and the
United States (
Freedom from Hunger).
FAO's efforts to eliminate the Mediterranean
fruit fly from the
Caribbean Basin have benefitted the
U.S. citrus industry. Likewise, U.S.
cattle raisers have a direct stake in FAO efforts to eliminate a
tick found in the Caribbean that carries a threatening cattle disease.
*
Mordecai Ezekiel*
Website of the FAO*
Website of the FAO Statistics Division**
FAO Fisheries Department and its
SOFIA 2004 report***
State of World Fisheries – A summary for non-specialists of the above FAO report by
GreenFacts.
**
FAO Economic and Social Department and its
SOFA 2003-2004 report***
State of Food and Agriculture - GM Crops – A summary for non-specialists of the above FAO report by
GreenFacts.
*
Website of the FAO Statistics Division's new FAOSTAT project
