The Department ensures the development of policies, strategies and guidelines and provides advisory and technical services to FAO Members, and collects, analyzes and disseminates information in the relevant fields of competence to FAO Members. This involves: the establishment of a policy framework for agricultural and rural development; the collection, analysis and dissemination of information on the state of food and agriculture; assistance to FAO Members and international organizations in the task of planning, programming and policy-making for the social and economic aspects of food and agriculture; contributions to international negotiations and deliberations relating to food and agriculture; analysis of food, agriculture, commodity and trade policies; formulation of food and nutritional policies to alleviate undernutrition and rural poverty.