Executive summary

Introduction

The importance of partnerships with non-governmental and civil society organizations was underscored by Member Governments in the World Food Summit Plan of Action and is confirmed in FAO's Strategic Framework.

At the Director-General's request, the Unit for Cooperation with the Private Sector and NGOs (TCDN) coordinated an FAO-wide review of policy and strategy for NGO/CSO cooperation in consultation with the technical departments, which undertook their own assessments, and with decentralized offices and NGOs. In the resulting paper, categories of relevant partners for different purposes are identified, based on their areas of activity and their organizational characteristics. Priority partners are membership organizations representing constituencies such as farmers and consumers, and technically competent NGOs committed to ongoing cooperation.

Strategies and priorities for action

The challenge is to develop cooperation with a rapidly expanding NGO/CSO sector in a period of declining resources. This requires a strategic choice of partners and activities; promoting networks among NGOs/CSOs to multiply outreach; sharing responsibility for programme planning and resource mobilization; and using country offices to reach the organizations closest to rural people. The paper presents a framework for closer collaboration on a long-term programme in four interrelated functional areas:

Information sharing and analysis

The strategy builds on FAO's Corporate Communication Strategy. Priority activities include:

• preparing a public information disclosure policy;
• developing joint information projects with regional and thematic NGO/CSO networks;
• creating an Internet page for NGOs within the TC Department's site;
• improving information dissemination capacity through FAO country offices.

Policy dialogue

The strategy is based on FAO's ability to facilitate government-civil society dialogue and on the increased technical competence of many NGOs/CSOs. Priority activities include:

• at the national level, promoting NGO/CSO participation in policy and programming negotiations with governments and other actors, including through Thematic Groups of the ACC Network on Rural Development and Food Security;
• at the regional level, encouraging the formation of regional networks and their input into regional conferences and technical commissions;
• at the global level, encouraging issue-based NGO/CSO groups and their participation in FAO technical committees; establishing an FAO-NGO/CSO consultative task force with representatives of the thematic and regional networks working with FAO.

Field programmes

The strategy is based on promoting NGO/CSO cooperation from the planning stage of country programme frameworks and building partnerships based on shared objectives, resources and clear responsibilities for all parties. Priority activities include:

• developing pilot projects with NGOs/CSOs and diffusing successful experiences;
• reviewing operational procedures to remove constraints to NGO/CSO cooperation;
• strengthening the capacity of farmers' organizations/NGOs to provide services to small producers;
• enhancing participation in key FAO programmes (e.g. the Special Programme for Food Security and response to emergencies).

Resource mobilization

With an increasing share of official development assistance (ODA) channelled through NGOs, the strategy seeks to promote synergies and help NGOs apply their resources effectively. Priority activities include:

• promoting cooperation with bilateral NGO programmes in which FAO is funded to provide technical assistance;
• taking advantage of new possibilities for the funding of CSO partnership activities by UN system and bilateral donors;
• using TCP funds (with government endorsement), together with matching NGO funds, to provide technical assistance to NGOs/CSOs;
• cofunding TeleFood projects.

Managing NGO/CSO cooperation in FAO

Implementing this strategy will require an Organization-wide commitment and specific management measures, including:

• revising formal status and meeting attendance procedures;
• integrating partnerships into FAO's programme planning process;
• promoting a "partnership culture" within FAO;
• strengthening the capacity of decentralized offices to build relations with civil society by designating a focal point, seeking additional human resources and mobilizing financial resources for partnership activities from local donor offices;
• formalizing an NGO working group in FAO to implement this strategy in collaboration with TCDN.

Technical issues

Technical departments have identified the following as some of the areas where NGO/CSO involvement is particularly critical and where there is scope for enhanced partnership:

• Access to land and natural resources
• Agricultural trade liberalization
• Biodiversity
• Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries
• Genetic resources for food and agriculture
• Integrated pest management
• Organic agriculture