Anti-hunger policies must be based on sound scientific research and analysis. For this reason, the academic community has a central role to play in eradicating hunger.

FAO's Visiting Experts Programme, based on institutional arrangements with academic and scientific organizations, provides a framework for distinguished scholars and researchers who contribute their energies to issues related to hunger and food security. The programme taps the expertise of these highly qualified professionals to meet critical intellectual and analytical needs in FAO's priority programmes. Through the Partnership, both FAO and participating institutions share the costs and benefit from one another's expertise and experience in areas of common concern.

The programme, open to all academic and research institutions of FAO Member Nations, enables experts from around the world to work with FAO for a period of up to one year. The participating institution continues to pay the visiting expert's salary, while FAO covers travel costs and offers a monthly allowance calculated at 75 percent of the United Nations Daily Subsistence Allowance (Over 60 days rate) to help them meet living expenses.

Some 68 countries and 7 international institutions have signed or endorsed the programme, and academics, scientists and researchers have carried out about 600 assignments, making valuable contributions to FAO's work.