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			Plant Production and Protection Division
			AGP addresses the development of sustainable agricultural systems to improve crop and grassland productivity, to create conditions for enhanced food security and general eonomic development and to conserve the environment through the development of agriculture's biological resources. AGP's activities include the provision of regional and global fora for common action among countries and programmes on the conservation of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA), crop improvement and seed production development, and environmentally sound management of pests including Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Major outputs cover seed security, a rolling Global Plan of Action for the conservation and sustainable use of PGRFA, biosecurity in relation to the spread of plant pests and weeds including International Standards for Phytosanitary measures, reduction of risks of pesticide use to the human health and the environment and ecological approaches to achieve sustainable intensification of crop and grassland production and diversification opportunities.

Divisional Organizational Structure  Office of the Director (AGPD) Crop and Grassland Service (AGPC) Plant Protection Service (AGPP) Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service (AGPS)

	Crop and Grassland Service (AGPC) 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. Organizational Structure Office of Chief Field Food Crops Group Horticultural Crops Group Industrial Crops Group Grassland and Pasture Crops Group 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 the hybrid techniques to make full use of heterosis and thereby increasing crop productivity; 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 integrated crop management approach and crop-based production systems to increase productivity and sustainability; 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).

	Plant Protection Service (AGPP) The Service promotes effective plant protection, which is safe to human health and the environment, so as to avoid or reduce crop losses caused by plant pests, during growth, in transit and in storage. It aims at reducing emergency situations caused by transboundary pests (particularly through EMPRES). Organizational Structure Office of Chief Secretariat of the International Plant Protection Convention Pesticides Management Group Integrated Pest Management Group Locusts, Other Migratory Pests and Emergency Operations Group The Secretariat to the International Plant Protection Convention provides for: The Interim Commission on Phytosanitary Measures; The preparation and endorsement of International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures and assistance in their implementation; Information exchange, as mandated in the Convention; Coordination of regional plant protection organizations; Establishing national phytosanitary programmes, infrastructures and institutional capacities. Pesticide Management: promotes and monitors the provisions of the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides; jointly with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), provides the Interim Secretariat to the "Rotterdam Convention on the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure for certain hazardous chemicals and pesticides in international trade", and arranges for national training on PIC; jointly with the World Health Organization (WHO), makes recommendations for Maximum Residue Levels and Acceptable Daily Intakes of pesticides; develops FAO specifications for pesticide products and their formulations; supports and facilitates disposal operations of obsolete pesticides. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): identifies pest problems and implements rational plant protection programmes that are economically viable and take into account human health and the environment, through: studies and information exchange on aspects of pest control and Integrated Pest Management; policy and technical advice to governments on pest management programmes; technical assistance to FAO Members through capacity building, in particular farmer training;   The programme is supported by the Global IPM Facility. The Facility is co-sponsored by the World Bank, FAO and UNEP and UNDP. The Facility was established to create an international environment conducive to the development of national IPM programmes. It supports the formulation and implementation of national IPM Programmes, focusing on getting IPM into the hands of farmers as well as promoting national and international IPM policies.   Locusts and other migratory pests: coordinates all aspects of locust control and research activities; provides the Secretariat to the Desert Locust Control Committee and to three regional Desert Locust Control Commissions. provides the Desert Locust Information Service. provides technical advice on migratory pest control; coordinates and provides technical assistance to activities and campaigns to control the desert locust and, where appropriate, other migratory pests. manages the EMPRES programme, a joint undertaking among desert locust affected countries, donors and FAO to improve early warning, early control and research of the desert locust.

	Seed and Plant Genetic Resources Service (AGPS) The Service provides technical advice to FAO Members on seed programmes and policies, including seed and planting material improvement, production and processing, storage, testing, quality control and certification, and seed security. It assists and advises on effective conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) and promotes the implementation of the Global Plan of Action on PGRFA by all stakeholders. Organizational Structure Office of Chief Seed Group Plant Genetic Resources Group Activities Assists FAO Members in the development of seed and planting material related activities in: the definition of global, regional and national policies on seed and planting material production and supply; the identification and formulation of global, regional and national programmes and projects for seed and planting material production and improvement, and the organization of networks for their implementation; the organization and implementation of national and regional training programmes and activities on modern seed and planting material improvement techniques; the establishment of mechanisms for supply of seed and planting material and rehabilitation of seed production in disaster prone areas; the organization of technical meetings, conferences and symposia on transfer of new technologies to developing countries on seed and planting material production/ propagation; the elaboration of seed quality control and certification rules and regulations in line with the international standards. Assists FAO Members in the conservation and use of genetic resources for food and agriculture in: the implementation of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture's recommendations on conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources and supporting the Inter-governmental Technical Working Group on PGRFA; the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity and UNCED's Agenda 21 programme on conservation and sustainable utilization of plant genetic resources for food and sustainable agriculture ; supporting the Global System on conservation and sustainable utilisation of PGRFA through: the development and monitoring of the International Network of ex situ collections under the auspices of FAO; the establishment of in situ conservation areas/community genebanks; and strenghtening of global, regional and cop-related networks; the development of the World Information and Early Warning System on PGRFA including the Seed Information System; the periodic updating of the report on the State of the World's PGR, and the rolling Global Plan of Action for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of PGRFA; the establishment and support to the facilitating mechanism for assisting member countries in the implementation of the Global Plan of Action that includes methodologies and policy guidelines for incorporating priority activities of the Global Plan of Action in national programmes, technical assistance to countries for capacity building; the effective monitoring of the implementation by all stakeholders of the priority activity areas of the Global Plan of Action for the conservation and sustainable utilisation of PGRFA.