CHAPTER 3: COOPERATION AND PARTNERSHIPS

Changes in Resources

457. As evidenced in the above table and in the more detailed tables which follow, there are many instances of substantial net resource changes under the relevant programme headings. In this regard, it is pertinent to recall that, besides provisions from the Regular Budget Appropriation, total resources for this chapter are heavily dependent on external income, particularly under Major Programme 3.2, Support to Investment (contributions from partner financial institutions), and Major Programme 3.3, Field Operations (administrative and operational support services - AOS - reimbursement income). Therefore, budget estimates for the Programme of Work need to reflect the expected evolution of these external resources in the next biennium.

458. As importantly, the indicated provisions take account of the impact of two major restructuring initiatives in the current (2000-2001) biennium: on the one hand, the partial reorganisation of the Technical Cooperation Department (TC) at Headquarters affecting particularly the Field Operations Division (TCO) and the several units placed in the Office of Assistant Director-General; and on the other hand, the transfer to FAO Country Offices of a significant share of operational responsibilities for the implementation of field projects, coupled with concomitant reorganisation of the units dealing with operational and administrative matters in Regional Offices (cf. also section III. Budgetary Framework). A substantial portion of the savings generated by these initiatives can be ploughed back to needed strengthening of several areas, e.g. policy advisory services under Major Programme 3.1; a more advanced Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) under Major Programme 3.3; the FAORs under Major Programme 3.4; and World Food Day Special Events/TeleFood supportive structures under Major Programme 3.5, thereby limiting the overall net change for the chapter - which is even more apparent, if the special case of Programme 3.3.3, Emergency Response Operations, is discounted. Further explanations on resource changes are provided under the respective major programmes.

Major Programme 3.1: Policy Assistance

Main Substantive Thrusts and Priorities

459. This major programme is central to the provision of sound policy advice to countries, and capacity building in the formulation and implementation of policies, strategies and programmes. It, therefore, embodies the policy interface between FAO and its Members, building on strong normative underpinning in areas falling under the Organization's mandate. In this context, it is important to ensure close links between policy advice, country focus and field programme development, including a coherent approach by the policy assistance branches and units in Regional and Sub-regional Offices. Programme 3.1.2 covers the work of the latter units, while Programme 3.1.1 covers the remainder of the Policy Assistance Division's (TCA) activities at Headquarters.

460. Main priorities include:

1. fostering in-house coordination in policy assistance;
2. developing normative underpinning and policy guidelines;
3. setting-up the required corporate, web-based country information system;
4. conducting supportive thematic analyses;
5. providing advisory and capacity building support to Members in relation to forthcoming multilateral trade negotiations, and specific policy issues impinging on food security and sustainable agricultural development, including the preparation of national poverty reduction strategy papers;
6. assisting countries in the implementation of the World Food Summit Plan of Action; and
7. supporting the constraints analysis component and the Expansion Phase of the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS), and the formulation of national agricultural rehabilitation programmes.

461. Programme 3.1.3, Legal Assistance to Member Nations, is designed to improve the legal and institutional framework for agricultural development and natural resources management in Member Nations. It is based on the premise that effective legal regimes must be designed for each country's situation, and that FAO can bring to bear on these unique situations, important lessons of comparative experience. The overall objective is to make these lessons available in different ways, while specific priorities for the biennium will be to increase the participation of the Legal Office in inter-departmental groups, developing guidelines, plans of actions and other instruments to help governments frame national law and policy; and to expand coverage, and improve accessibility of FAO legislative information system.

Changes in Resources

462. The major part of the net increase in resources under this major programme is to strengthen activities of the decentralized policy assistance branches and units, particularly as regards project identification and formulation and resource mobilisation, and for ensuring a stronger interface with the work of technical departments and divisions in key priority areas. It may be noted that two new technical projects have been introduced, with relatively small initial provisions, but with potential for future expansion, i.e. 311A1, Development of On-line Training Capacity in Food, Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Planning (replacing a former technical service agreement entity, with attendant resources); and 313A1, Support to the Development of a Regulatory Framework for Food and Agriculture. The latter entity is to give particular emphasis to fisheries and aquaculture, biological diversity and biosecurity, among other subject matters.

Programme 3.1.1: Coordination of Policy Assistance
and Related Capacity Building

311A1 - Development of On-line Training Capacity in Food, Agricultural and Rural Development Planning and Policy Analysis

463. Objective: to provide on-line training in food, agriculture and rural development policy and planning, thereby increasing the geographic coverage and number of participants in FAO capacity building activities.

464. Biennial Outputs: training materials for sector and sub-sector policy analysis and planning available on the web, and organisation of web-based training activities.

311P1 - Coordination of and Support to Policy Assistance and Advice

465. Objective: to ensure that effective and coordinated sectoral policy advice and assistance is efficiently delivered to Members.

466. Biennial Outputs: analysis of country briefs, sub-sectoral policy papers, and country policy reviews, while ensuring the necessary inputs from technical units; analysis of policy issues affecting food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development, drawing on various regional perspectives; coordinated plans for rehabilitation following emergencies.

311P2 - Coordination of Field Programme Development Activities

467. Objective: to ensure that country assistance frameworks, projects and programmes reflect the needs and priorities of recipient countries and the interests of donors.

468. Biennial Outputs: guidelines for programming technical cooperation at country level; continuous review of country technical assistance programmes and projects, while ensuring the necessary inputs from technical units; overall coordination of field programme development activities of the Policy Assistance Branches.

311P3 - Development of Training Materials and Methods in Food and Agricultural Policy Analysis

469. Objective: to strengthen national capacities in policy analysis, and in formulation and implementation of agricultural and rural development policies and programmes.

470. Biennial Outputs: training materials for sector and sub-sector policy analysis.

311P4 - Coordination of Country Focus

471. Objective: to ensure that FAO's support at national level can rely on comprehensive data on country situations, development constraints and potential for the use of FAO's services.

472. Biennial Outputs: computer-based country information system available on the web, with country briefs, profiles and policy issues, along with databases to support programme development, including information on FAO capacities.

311S2 - Technical support to Capacity Building in Food, Agricultural and Rural Development Planning and Policy Analysis

473. This entity will include thematic work in priority areas, backstopping and technical support to field projects and organisation of regional and sub-regional training courses and workshops.

Programme 3.1.2: Policy Assistance to Various Regions

312P1 - Enhancement of Country Focus

474. Objective: to collect and update data on country situations, development constraints and potential.

475. Biennial Outputs: up-to-date country briefs and profiles, along with databases to support programme development and information to countries on FAO capacities and programmes.

312P2 - Field Programme Development

476. Objective: to ensure sound formulation of projects and programmes, also in line with FAO's Strategic Framework.

477. Biennial Outputs: identification of project ideas (fiches) and management of the project cycle until project approval; programming mission reports; project and programme draft agreements for discussion with donors.

312P3 - Advice, Support and Training in Agricultural Policies

478. Objectives: to provide countries with policy options for food security, sustainable agriculture and rural development; and to strengthen local capacity for conducting policy analysis.

479. Biennial Outputs: papers on alternative policy options; national and regional policy workshops on critical policy issues; and promotion of participatory approach for policy formulation and policy advice (N.B. the somewhat artificial separation from previous entity 312S1 has been removed, and the latter merged into 312P3).

312S3 - Technical Support to the Field Programme

480. This entity aims at successful implementation of the field programme and projects, including SPFS and emergencies, ensuring inter alia adequate technical inputs from FAO.

Programme 3.1.3: Legal Assistance to Member Nations

313A1 - Support to the Development of a Regulatory Framework for Food and Agriculture

481. Objective: to develop an overall conceptual framework for national legislation, in particular to implement international obligations.

482. Biennial Outputs: guidelines, manuals, codes of conduct and action plans to provide the basis for national legislation.

313P1 - Collection and Dissemination of Legal Information

483. Objective: to provide Members with a multi-lingual source of information on legislation for food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry.

484. Biennial Outputs: full texts of laws on-line for 80 countries; publications in two subjects; approximately 1200 pages of printed and on-line narrative publications.

313S1 - Provision of Technical Advice

485. This entity is to provide direct advice, including draft legislation, and on-the-job training of national legal staff.

Major Programme 3.2: Support to Investment

486. This major programme will continue to promote investment in agriculture, rural development and sustainable use of natural resources. It will provide assistance in the preparation of investment and technical assistance projects that respond to the development priorities of developing and transition countries, and which meet the funding criteria of multilateral financing agencies. This work is performed by the Investment Centre Division (TCI) through cost-sharing arrangements with some 20 major financing and related institutions. On average, 60 percent of the total cost of FAO's investment support work is met by extra-budgetary resources, including partner institutions and, increasingly, bilaterally-financed trust funds which meet part of the consultants' costs.

487. A large part of the Division's work will be the design of projects for the eradication of hunger and poverty alleviation, the goal shared by the Organization and nearly all cooperating financing institutions. During the course of the biennium, the Investment Centre also expects to expand activities aimed at mobilising transfers to countries of a non-lending nature. In particular, increased cooperation is foreseen with the Global Environment Facility (GEF), as well as exploring options for attracting resources to developing and transition countries for carbon sequestration. TCI will also assist countries in relation to the use of debt-for-development swaps.

488. The emphasis on food security and poverty alleviation implies that an increasing proportion of the Division's resources will be focused on Africa and South Asia. The Investment Centre is expected to be particularly active in the Horn of Africa, assisting in the design of investment programmes following on the recommendations of the Inter-agency Task Force on the UN Response to Long-Term Food Security, Agricultural Development and Related Aspects in the Horn of Africa.

Changes in Resources

489. The provisions are in line with expected contributions from partner institutions. A small transfer is effected to the overall departmental Programme Management provision (Major Programme 3.9). The staffing structure has also been readjusted toward less senior-level positions and a more balanced mix of staff and consultants in investment project formulation work.

Programme 3.2.1: FAO/World Bank Cooperative Programme

490. The overall volume of activities of the World Bank Cooperative Programme will be maintained at the same level over the next two years, in line with the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between FAO and the World Bank, whereby FAO covers 25 percent of the costs of the programme.

Programme 3.2.2: Investment Support Programme

491. This programme mobilises flows of investment resources to agriculture, rural development and sustainable natural resources management, from financial institutions other than the World Bank. The overall demand for the services of the Investment Support Programme remains strong, although inter-annual shifts may occur in the levels of cooperation with individual institutions. Demand from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB), both of which have increased their level of lending for the rural sector, is expected to remain steady. Joint work with the World Food Programme (WFP) is expected to continue at the level attained in 2000-2001.

Major Programme 3.3: Field Operations

492. As recalled above, significant changes to arrangements for handling the field programme have been introduced in the 2000-2001 biennium, with a view to: a) further reducing the cost of supporting the field programme, b) bringing operations of national projects closer to where the action takes place, and c) increasing efficiency. Operational responsibilities are henceforth distributed between Headquarters and the decentralized structure along the following broad lines: technical units at Headquarters are responsible for global and inter-regional projects; Regional Offices for regional projects; FAO Representations at country-level for national projects; while the Field Operations Division (TCO) continues to operate emergency projects.

493. The Field Operations Division has also been reorganised, and according to the new structure, TCO has overall responsibility for the field programme, including in particular:

1. analysing trends in field activities, preparing delivery forecasts and monitoring progress;
2. planning and coordinating field programmes and projects and supervising their implementation;
3. providing guidance to units responsible for field operations, advising on the designation of operational responsibilities and establishing the procedural framework for operations;
4. coordinating FAO's response to emergency situations, implementing emergency relief and rehabilitation projects, and linking rehabilitation to longer-term development efforts;
5. managing and monitoring of the Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP), the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) and other field-related activities, such as projects funded from TeleFood proceeds;
6. providing liaison with UN system inter-agency bodies responsible for field programme policy and operations; and
7. generally providing support to policy formulation related to the field programme.

Changes in Resources

494. While the underlying details are quite complex to describe, the indicated resource allocations can be understood as resulting from the following main factors.

1. The significant abolitions of field operations-related posts in the Regional Offices (Country Operations Officers - CPOs - and Operations Clerks), a major organizational streamlining which is itself linked to: the need to adjust to lower-expected levels of reimbursements of AOS costs; and the transfer of operational responsibilities to FAORs mentioned above; hence the substantial decline in resources under Programme 3.3.1. However, part of these resources, hitherto assigned to Regional Offices, must be transferred to Major Programme 3.4 to enable the FAO county offices to cope with their increased operational workload, where required.
2. The restructuring of the TCO Division and other units of the TC Department, including abolition of the former Senior Field Operations Inspector, and further substantial reductions under the fellowships component to maximise efficiencies and take account of income trends. However, provision is made for implementation of a more advanced FPMIS, hence the largely unchanged amount under Programme 3.3.2.
3. The impact of the significantly higher volume of support to emergencies, due principally to the Iraq assistance programme, provided by FAO's Special Relief Operations Service (TCOR) under Programme 3.3.3. As TCOR is entirely financed by levies on extra-budgetary contributions, its staff and other expenditures can - and in fact need to - be flexibly adjusted to evolving workloads.
4. Some transfers of resources between Programme 3.3.9 (Programme Management for the TCO division) and Major Programme 3.9 (Departmental Management), also reflecting the impact of restructuring measures introduced in the 2000-2001 biennium.

Programme 3.3.1: Field Operations in Various Regions

495. In line with the reorganised structure for field operations, a limited capacity is retained in Regional Offices, in the form of Operations Groups.

496. The latter operate projects in non-FAOR countries and complex and multi-disciplinary regional projects. In addition, they coordinate and analyse implementation reports from FAORs, keep an updated pipeline of country and regional projects, perform help-desk duties in support of the FAORs' operational responsibilities, and keep Headquarters abreast of field programme developments in respective regions through TCO.

Programme 3.3.2: Central Support and Special Activities

497. This programme covers a number of key supporting activities to the Field Programme, such as: implementation of training and education in the field (except study tours); overall monitoring of project terminal reports; preparation and coordination of country briefs for use by senior management; field programme monitoring information; servicing of the revitalised Field Programme Committee; facilitation of project appraisal; etc.

498. The Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) is the Organization's response to decentralized management and decision-making, including the transfer of responsibilities to country offices to be completed 2001, which itself has been feasible due to the introduction of modern information technology and accounting tools (Oracle and Data Warehouse). It aims at making available, to FAO Representatives and other decision-makers concerned with field project operations, up-to-date and comprehensive information on the status and evolution of projects they are operating or submitting for funding.

499. The basic foundations for the FPMIS were laid during 2000-2001, but additional resources are required in order to enhance the quality and content of the database for field documents and reports that can be retrieved, and to improve access from remote locations. While some of the documentation placed on the FPMIS (recent project documents, mission and technical field reports, etc.) are in electronic format, many need to be scanned in order to be accessible to a wider audience within FAO. The management of the project pipeline will be transferred to the FPMIS, thus improving and optimising the Organization's response to requests for assistance and reducing the cost of the pipeline process.

500. This investment should, therefore, improve access by field offices to project information, facilitate the Organization's reporting to donors, enable FAO's management to monitor the field programme in real time and permit cost-oriented field programme management.

Programme 3.3.3: Emergency Response Operations

501. This programme covers the direct cost of the FAO Special Relief Operations Service (TCOR) which is responsible for managing emergency response operations. In the face of a growing volume of work, TCOR will continue to provide leadership for the assessment of emergency relief and early recovery needs, formulate and execute relief and rehabilitation projects, and assist national authorities in coordinating emergency agricultural assistance.

502. During 2000, TCOR dealt with 114 projects, providing emergency and relief assistance to 43 countries. The total new funding approved during the year 2000 amounted to US$ 468 million, of which more than US$ 400 million related to Iraq under the terms of Security Council Resolution 986, US$ 55 million from Trust Fund donors and other UN organizations, and US$ 10 million under Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) funding. Staffing for the unit is largely funded from direct operating cost earnings.

Major Programme 3.4: FAO Representatives

503. During the 2002-03 biennium, the geographic coverage of the network of FAO Representatives (FAORs) is expected to reach a total of 130 countries, compared to the 116 countries foreseen in the Programme of Work and Budget 2000-01. This will include 78 country offices, 4 countries served by Regional Offices, 37 countries covered through multiple accreditations and/or National Correspondents, and 11 countries benefiting from the new outposted technical officer scheme approved by the Council at its 119^th session. It should be noted that the budgetary data does not yet reflect that portion of the staff time of the outposted technical officers attributable to FAOR tasks. This will be adjusted in the full Programme of Work and Budget by which time, the posts concerned will have been identified.

504. FAORs will continue to be the essential focal point for contact with the respective host governments, civil society and the donor community in countries of accreditation. They help focus FAO's expertise where and when it is most needed, monitor national developments relevant to food and agriculture, and channel and coordinate FAO's technical cooperation activities. They also play a role in emergencies in FAO's areas of competence, initiating and supporting necessary actions. The FAORs thus contribute to the effective attainment of the Organization's Strategic Objectives and ensure synergy between operational and normative activities at the country level.

505. FAORs in fact closely relate to the strategies to address cross-organizational issues highlighted in the Strategic Framework 2000-2015. They have a particular role in: a) enhancing inter-disciplinarity, as the leaders of the FAO country teams; b) broadening partnerships and alliances with development partners, particularly within the UN system and civil society organizations; c) leveraging resources for FAO field programme, through contacts with local representatives of the donor community; and d) communicating FAO's messages, interacting with local media, particularly within the framework of World Food Day Special Events, including TeleFood.

506. In addition, the majority of FAO Representations have assumed operational responsibilities for national projects in the 2000-2001 biennium, and are expected to play an increasing role in the development of the field programme. In this context, FAORs will continue to have access to limited resources, for instance through the small-scale facility and TCP to assist them in meeting requests for technical or policy support through recourse to local expertise.

507. The expansion of the network of country offices and their assumption of additional functions, will require strengthening of their professional capacity. Therefore, the staffing level of each office has been the subject of an in-depth review, the results of which will be implemented in 2002-03. The total number of posts of National Professional Officers (NPOs) will increase from 65 to 92, by replacing 27 previous posts of Programme Assistant or Programme Clerk. To bring the NPO category in line with general UN practice, a number of NPO posts will be upgraded. In order to support the decentralization of project operations, some 15 posts (NPOs and general service) will be created, and additional non-staff resources will be provided with AOS funding (see Major Programme 3.3 above).

508. To allow FAORs to assume their new operational functions, a substantial training programme will cover, inter alia, general management skills and project cycle management, particularly project formulation and implementation. Ongoing training for the enhancement of computer and language skills and briefing sessions for newly recruited FAORs, NPOs and Administrative Officers will continue. Training on staff security will be provided in collaboration with other UN organizations. This effort comprises further strengthening of the information and communication systems for FAO Representations.

509. The major programme also covers management and administrative backstopping services to FAORs from the Office for Coordination of Normative, Operational and Decentralized Activities (OCD) at Headquarters. This includes handling of field security and emergency-related matters as well as FAO's liaison with the UN Security Coordinator's Office. Some adjustments are made to staff positions within OCD, to further rationalise workflow.

Changes in Resources

510. As mentioned above, part of the net increase in resources (approximately US$ 1.6 million) is due to the additional allocation of AOS income in order to enable selected country offices to cope with increased operational workloads, which can be shifted from Major Programme 3.3.

511. The remainder of the net increase is to serve essentially two purposes:

1. augmenting FAO's contribution to the functioning of the eleven new country representations, based on the outposted technical officer arrangement introduced in 2001, beyond the cost of the latter officers. In relieving the concerned host countries from part of the substantial obligations inherent in this scheme, this should bring some measure of fairness in relation to other countries benefiting from a fully-fledged FAO office; and
2. strengthening the human resource capacities of FAO representations, through additional staff to fill critical gaps and the extensive training required by ever-increasing responsibilities, and for the necessary substantial upgrades of telecommunications and computer equipment for their efficient functioning.

Major Programme 3.5: Cooperation with External Partners

512. Programme 3.5.1 will aim at the further expansion and diversification of FAO Trust Fund through sustained and dynamic dialogue with all development partners consistent with the strategies to leverage resources for FAO and its Members approved as part of the Strategic Framework. This should also increase the relevance and visibility of the Organization in support of food security and agricultural and rural development. Within this overall context, emphasis will be placed on strategic alliances with key donor countries, based on a programme approach, shared priorities and synergies both in field operations and normative activities. For this purpose, areas of interest to donors will be reviewed annually in consultation with the technical departments. Resource mobilisation efforts will include annual (or semi-annual) multi-donor meetings, annual consultations with major donors and ad hoc meetings with selected donors, with a view to presenting FAO's priority programmes and projects requiring donor support.

513. Attention will continue to be paid to the development of the Unilateral Trust Fund (UTF) programme, both within the framework of World Bank-funded investment programmes and through nationally funded technical assistance projects. Special consideration will be accorded to countries willing to utilise their own resources to finance SPFS projects, as a major vehicle for the attainment of WFS goals. The Associate Professional Officer (APO) programme should further facilitate the integration of fresh approaches, cutting-edge technology and advanced computer applications into FAO's work. Donors will be encouraged to sponsor an increasing number of APOs from developing countries.

514. Programme 3.5.2 addresses important components of the cross-organizational strategy on Broadening Partnerships and Alliances. The document on Policy and Strategy for Cooperation with NGOs and CSOs issued in the previous biennium will provide the basis for collaboration with these two important groups of partners. Operating through a network of non-governmental organization (NGO)/civil society organization (CSO) focal points in technical divisions and field offices, the programme will pursue a combination of information activities (web-site, databases, etc), policy dialogue (regional consultations, NGO/CSO thematic networks, establishment of an NGO/CSO Advisory Committee), and field-level work (capacity building, cooperation with NGOs in relief and rehabilitation programmes and projects).

515. In its outreach to the private sector, the programme plays a catalytic role in identifying and attracting private sector partners (including associations, foundations, etc.) for cooperation with FAO. It will facilitate innovative cooperation arrangements initiated by the technical divisions, and will take oversight responsibility for policy and operational frameworks and guidance. An Advisory Board is to ensure that cooperation proposals respect established principles and criteria.

516. Programme 3.5.2 also includes the work in the General Affairs and Information Department (GI) for coordination, planning and implementation of World Food Day activities, the use of FAO Ambassadors, and for promotion of country-level involvement and civil society participation through the dissemination of information materials. World Food Day Special Events/TeleFood will continue to be key corporate efforts aimed principally at raising public awareness of the plight of the hungry while also mobilising resources to fund micro-projects targeted at helping poor farmers. It may be noted that the public information contribution of the Information Division (GII) is under Programme 5.1.1.

517. Under Programme 3.5.3, OCD will continue to promote the expanded use of FAO partnership agreements, i.e. for Technical Cooperation among Developing Countries (TCDC)/ Technical Cooperation among Countries in Transition (TCCT) experts, visiting experts from academic and research institutions, retired experts, and on-the-job training of young professionals, in activities funded by both the Regular Programme and extra-budgetary resources. A major qualitative dimension is that these programmes should respond to the evolving needs of Members, while seeking innovative approaches. Strengthening of Members' participation in the various partnership programmes will be sought by disseminating pertinent information through recourse to modern information technology.

Changes in Resources

518. The only significant resource change is under Programme 3.5.2, to consolidate and formalise TeleFood supporting structures, within the framework of World Food Day Special Events. In effect, World Food Day Special Events/TeleFood were so far largely supported through ad hoc arrangements (including temporary posts and occasional reliance on fortuitous savings in other areas), a formula which is clearly not appropriate for a now well-established activity, as sanctioned by Conference Resolution 3/97. In particular, a new post of Deputy Executive Coordinator is to be established. A limited contribution from the liaison office for North America is also reflected.

Major Programme 3.9: Programme Management

519. This major programme covers the direct Office of the Assistant Director-General (TCD), including the Programme Coordination Unit (TCDP) and a consolidated departmental Registry as the result of restructuring. Hence, the net increase shown, stemming from transfers from other programmes under the chapter.