.641 The Service provides technical advice to FAO Members on increasing sustainable crop and grassland production through plant improvement, application of plant biotechnology techniques, development of integrated production systems and rational grassland management.

.642 Organizational Structure

• Office of Chief
• Field Food Crops Group
• Horticultural Crops Group
• Industrial Crops Group
• Grassland and Pasture Crops Group

.643 Activities

• Assists FAO Members in developing and implementing programmes to improve crop and fodder production and grassland management through:
  • developing techniques for furthering sustainable crop and grazing land production, including the use of plant biotechnology techniques;
  • promoting regional and national training material to assist technical, managerial and planning staff in developing countries;
  • developing information systems on crop and grassland production and organizing technical meetings, workshops, seminars and symposia to assist in the transfer of technical information;
  • maintaining close working relationships with specialized agencies and international and national organizations dealing with crop and grassland production.
• Assists FAO Members in the planning and execution of programmes and activities to:
  • improve production of food crops, with emphasis on staple cereals, pulses and annual oilseeds, through plant improvement, use of adapted technologies and the development of sustainable production systems;
  • promote the production of horticultural crops (fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers and other horticultural staples and ornamentals) so as to improve nutrition and raise farmers' income generation capacity;
  • elaborate national development plans so as to realize the potential for horticultural crop diversification and attain sustainable, efficient production of major horticultural commodities.
• Assists FAO Members in the development of:
  • perennial industrial crops for use both as cash-crops and as integral parts of integrated perennial cropping and agroforestry systems;
  • annual industrial crops, especially oilseeds and fibres, through crop improvement and development of adapted, sustainable production systems;
  • programmes and activities for developing crop diversification programmes using adapted, smaller economic crops.
• Advises and assists FAO Members in the development and execution of programmes and activities on:
  • the rational, sustainable management of grazing lands, especially those managed under traditional systems;
  • on the better production and use of fodder crops in the context of integrated farming and household production system;
  • the utilization of pasture and fodders, especially nitrogen-fixing legumes, in farming rotations as a sustainable source of protein in stock rations and a sustainable method of soil fertility maintenance.
• Provides the Secretariat to the International Rice Commission (IRC).