23. The outputs and outcomes of the Organization’s activities can be examined from more than one perspective. This new section groups selected outputs by Strategic Objective and Strategy to Address Cross-Organizational Issues (SACOI), the next new section examines the Regional Dimensions, while the traditional longer section "Summary of Programme Implementation" deals with the same subject matter more comprehensively and by Programme (i.e. along sectoral lines). In providing more than one perspective, it is inevitable that one will duplicate the other two in content, and it may not be necessary for the reader to study all three sections in detail, but rather choose among them.
24. A new feature in the FAO Programme Implementation Report for 2002-03 is a discussion of achievements towards the Strategies to Address Members’ Needs described in the Strategic Framework for FAO 2000-2015. The Strategies to Address Members’ Needs comprise five Corporate Strategies which are further broken down into 12 Strategic Objectives. All biennial outputs in the Programme of Work and Budget of the technical programmes (Chapter 2 and Major Programme 3.1) are formulated to address a specific Strategic Objective; the overall distribution of biennial outputs implemented during the 2002-03 Biennium is shown in the table below.
NUMBER OF BIENNIAL OUTPUTS IMPLEMENTED BY STRATEGIC OBJECTIVE
Strategic Objective |
Outputs |
A1 Sustainable Rural Livelihoods and More Equitable Access to Resources |
209 |
A2 Access of Vulnerable and Disadvantaged Groups to Sufficient, Safe and Nutritionally Adequate Food |
40 |
A3 Preparedness for, and Effective and Sustainable Response to, Food and Agricultural Emergencies |
82 |
B1 International Instruments concerning Food, Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Production, Safe Use and Fair Exchange of Agricultural, Fishery and Forestry Goods |
156 |
B2 National Policies, legal instruments and supporting mechanisms that respond to domestic requirements and are consistent with the international policy and regulatory framework |
129 |
C1 Policy Options and Institutional Measures to Improve Efficiency and Adaptability in Production, Processing and Marketing Systems, and Meet the Changing Needs of Producers and Consumers |
243 |
C2 Adoption of appropriate technology to sustainably intensify production systems and to ensure sufficient supplies of food and agricultural, fisheries and forestry goods and services |
212 |
D1 Integrated Management of Land, Water, Fisheries, Forestry and Genetic Resources |
88 |
D2 Conservation, Rehabilitation and Development of Environments at Greatest Risk |
41 |
E1 An Integrated Information Resource Base, with Current, Relevant and Reliable Statistics, Information and Knowledge made Accessible to All FAO Clients |
423 |
E2 Regular Assessments, Analyses and Outlook Studies for Food and Agriculture |
82 |
E3 A Central Place for Food Security on the International Agenda |
19 |
Total 2002-03 Outputs Fully or Partially Implemented |
1724 |
25. An indicative distribution of expenditure, based on the percentage of outputs implemented within each technical programme associated with each strategic objective, is shown below. It reflects the relative contributions planned in MTP 2002-07 and sharpened in the PWB 2002-03 and will be useful to compare with future shifts in resources.
26. The sections that follow provide analyses of the outputs associated with each Strategic Objective. Significant achievements by the programmes and programme entities most directly involved in the strategic objectives are summarized, along with Boxes describing the main achievements of Priority Areas for Inter-disciplinary Action (PAIAs) located along with the strategies to which they most closely relate.
27. This corporate strategy addresses the main factors that contribute to the persistence of poverty, the widening gap between the affluent and the poor, inequality in access to the benefits of technological and economic progress and the continued exposure to disaster related and complex emergencies.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
253 Rural Development |
8 |
13 |
6 |
18 |
6 |
6 |
57 |
8.1 | |
252 Gender and Population |
12 |
11 |
2 |
2 |
6 |
1 |
10 |
44 |
4.0 |
214 Agricultural Support Systems |
1 |
1 |
4 |
7 |
6 |
19 |
3.4 | ||
213 Livestock |
3 |
1 |
3 |
3 |
10 |
2.7 | |||
224 Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy |
2 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
12 |
2.1 | |||
311 Coordination of Policy Assistance and Field Programme Development |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
1.8 | |||
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
1 |
5 |
1 |
7 |
1.8 | ||||
221 Nutrition |
1 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
9 |
1.7 | |||
233 Fisheries Exploitation and Utilisation |
5 |
2 |
8 |
2 |
17 |
1.5 | |||
243 Forestry Policy and Planning |
2 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
12 |
1.5 | ||
Other Programmes |
3 |
3 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
14 |
1.5 |
Total |
34 |
48 |
13 |
2 |
47 |
34 |
31 |
209 |
30.2 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
28. Strategic Objective A1 concerns poverty as a major cause of food insecurity. FAO’s response in the 2002-03 biennium was a focus of Major Programme 2.5, especially through the programmes addressing Rural Development and Gender and Population. The response was balanced and inter-disciplinary, with significant additional contributions coming from other programmes including direct advice, methodologies and guidelines, and training.
29. All activities of the Rural Development Programme are directed towards this strategic objective, with particular focus on improving secure access to land based on the growing recognition of the importance of land tenure and land policy to food security, poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Training, direct advice and other forms of support were provided to rural institutions in 12 countries. Also, through both direct and normative assistance, participatory methods and tools were promoted in field projects operated by many technical divisions. The programme also coordinated activities on rural development and food security throughout the UN system.
30. Technical assistance was provided to member countries to improve their planning and decision-making capacity to address gender inequality by using gender analysis methodologies and tools. Attention continues to focus on the Socio-Economic and Gender Analysis (SEAGA) training programme as the main instrument for capacity-building and gender mainstreaming. SEAGA training of trainers and technical workshops were held in 25 countries.
31. There has been considerable demand from development organizations for material and advisory information related to enhancing small farmer livelihoods. The coverage has been comprehensive: adjustments by smallholder farmers to new export opportunities, diversification opportunities and strategies, market information and market extension, farm management training, guidance on sustainable and efficient mechanisation options and, in particular, labour-saving practices as a response to the impact of HIV/AIDS pandemic on the agricultural labour force, rural finance information and rural business services.
Local Institution Building to Improve Capacity for Achieving Sustainable Rural Livelihoods (LHOO)
Given the potentially wide coverage of this PAIA in support of Strategic Objective A1, it was particularly important that it established adequate coordination arrangements, and identified which entities and attendant outputs contributed more specifically to its objectives. Among other achievements, the PAIA gave particular prominence to the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic on agriculture, especially in Africa. A study was commissioned on opportunities and options for strengthening adaptive capacity of local institutions in response to HIV/AIDS in Southern Africa. A draft proposal was also formulated for joint action under both the LHOO and REHA PAIAs to address the HIV/AIDS emergency in Southern Africa.
32. The contribution of agriculture and livestock to poverty alleviation was actively studied and promoted through production and use of manuals, guidelines and dissemination of information over the Internet. The role of nutrition was also addressed, primarily through capacity building in nutrition education and communication.
33. In Fisheries, work on small-scale fisheries has focused on diversification of fishing efforts, safety at sea, increased efficiency in post-harvest systems, improvement of market opportunities and disaster preparedness, research and training on demographic characteristics and credit for artisanal fishing communities, with attention to gender issues and participatory methodologies.
34. The theme of participatory forestry was supported by the Forestry Department’s Trees and People Programme which, by mobilizing a vast array of partners, prepared seminal publications on participatory methodologies and tools: more than 80 publications on community forestry are in great demand.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
221 Nutrition |
11 |
4 |
4 |
6 |
3 |
3 |
31 |
6.0 | |
222 Food and Agricultural Information |
3 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
1.0 | ||||
224 Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0.5 | ||||
Total |
11 |
7 |
7 |
0 |
8 |
4 |
3 |
40 |
7.6 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
35. FAO is an acknowledged international leader in addressing nutrition and food safety issues. The contribution of nutrition to sustainable development was actively studied and promoted by identifying best practices and developing an assessment tool for increasing the impact and the sustainability of community-based food and nutrition security programmes. FAO assistance in the implementation of National Plans of Action for Nutrition (NPAN), and direct advocacy for food security and nutrition policy in general, has been based on the analysis of successful policies, effective targeting and pilot testing. The needs of urban poor were also given priority.
36. To improve household food security and nutrition, guidance and direct assistance have been provided to promote effective participatory community-based programmes that lead to increased year-round access to, and consumption of, nutritionally-adequate and safe diets. FAO was also one of the co-organizers in 2003 of the 2nd International Workshop on Food-based Approaches for a Healthy Nutrition in West Africa.
37. Food insecurity and vulnerability mapping systems have also been improved. Based on the results of an external assessment of progress to date, the FIVIMS initiative has improved internal coordination and facilitated more integrated support to member countries. Impact at country-level has become more evident, particularly in pilot FIVIMS countries, the experience of which will benefit the programme in general.
38. The extension and training needs of special groups of farmers – the physically disabled, those in HIV/AIDS affected areas, and those in mountain areas or small island states – were addressed through direct advice on national policy on extension and mechanisms for public-private partnership and grassroots planning in extension.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
212 Crops |
6 |
10 |
3 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
24 |
5.6 | |
213 Livestock |
4 |
3 |
2 |
2 |
11 |
2.9 | |||
312 Policy Assistance to Various Regions |
20 |
1 |
21 |
2.3 | |||||
221 Nutrition |
3 |
3 |
1 |
7 |
1.4 | ||||
223 Food and Agricultural Monitoring, Assessments and Outlooks |
3 |
1 |
2 |
6 |
1.0 | ||||
241 Forest Resources |
3 |
4 |
1 |
8 |
0.9 | ||||
Other Programmes |
2 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
5 |
0.7 |
Total |
21 |
39 |
7 |
1 |
10 |
2 |
2 |
82 |
14.8 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
39. FAO’s highly interdisciplinary approach to Strategic Objective A3 was primarily implemented through direct advice and coordination and information exchange mechanisms focused on: strengthening disaster preparedness and mitigating the impact of emergencies that affect food security and the productive capacities of rural populations; forecasting and providing early warning of adverse conditions in the food and agricultural sectors, and of impending food emergencies; strengthening programmes for agricultural relief and rehabilitation; and facilitating the transition from emergency relief to reconstruction and development in food and agriculture.
Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness and Post Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (REHA)
Strengthening and coordinating FAO’s response has been the focus of the PAIA Disaster Prevention, Mitigation and Preparedness and Post Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation (REHA). A thorough review of previous work in this area and extensive consultations with all concerned units led to an initial focus on the development and delivery of three concrete multi-disciplinary outputs: an Emergency Database, a guide on Needs Assessment and a note on Drought Mitigation Strategies. Activities related to the FAO Emergency Database included a review of the data management systems currently in use in FAO and their potential for supporting planning of emergency operations and facilitating assessment of impacts of disasters. The Emergency Needs Assessment Guide was aimed at improving the quality of assessments and resulting project documents, and ensuring a greater level of consistency across a variety of different assessment missions. The guidance note on Drought Mitigation Strategies facilitated the sharing of much useful information amongst FAO units dealing with various aspects of drought mitigation. It was first used in a Regional Workshop on Capacity Building in Drought Mitigation, Preparedness and Planning for Countries in the Near East Region.
40. The migratory pest management component of EMPRES has upgraded the communications systems in three affected countries (Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and India). Improved reporting procedures are now in place in the Central Region, and are under development in the Western and South-west Asia Regions. The desert locust control capacity of the Central Region countries has been reinforced through Training of Trainers workshops through which each country now has Master Trainers who can continue locust survey and control training in their own countries. A contingency planning seminar was held as a first step towards developing appropriate national plans.
41. Special alerts and updates of the monthly bulletin were issued for desert locust outbreaks which occurred since October 2003 in Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Saudi Arabia as a result of good rainfall and breeding during the summer. Swarms moved into Morocco, Algeria and Egypt. Technical advice was provided on the Migratory Pest Emergencies of Desert Locust in Afghanistan, Niger, Mali, Morocco, Mauritania, and on the development of projects on Desert Locust Pest Management.
42. The Global Rinderpest Eradication Programme, working closely with member countries and international organizations, has made important inroads in identifying regions free of the disease, evaluating country submissions for international recognition of status, and encouraging countries to work in unison. Generally, disease surveillance has improved globally and EMPRES has been instrumental in using prediction models and trend monitoring to provide early warning messages.
43. Strengthening sustainable seed production has been another priority related to disaster preparedness. Seed Security Consultative Groups (SSCG) and Seed Security Networks have been established to address seed systems rehabilitation during and after emergency responses.
44. Support to the FAO Global System on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) assisted the extension of the World Information and Early Warning System (WIEWS) to include an integrated information system to facilitate monitoring the Global Plan of Action of the PGRFA.
45. Considerable progress was made in eliminating stocks of obsolete pesticides. FAO continued the pesticides management programme, including the mobilization of multiple donor resources, with the aim of enabling countries to dispose of obsolete pesticide stocks and to prevent further accumulation.
46. The Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS) continued to provide valued special reports and alerts on food shortages, as well as advisory services on the status of foodcrop productions in at-risk areas.
47. The Food Safety Assessment and Rapid Alert System examined risks associated with food hazards derived from biotechnology and nuclear emergencies. Direct advice was provided on acrylamide and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS).
48. Regarding relief and rehabilitation, assessment and technical support services missions have been fielded to several countries dealing with complex emergencies and/or natural disasters (including Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Sri Lanka, and the West Bank and Gaza Strip).
49. Policy and regulatory frameworks for food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, at the international and national levels, are assuming greater importance in an increasing interdependent and globalized world economy. FAO provides secretariat assistance as the depositary for a number of international instruments, technical advice, analyses and support for negotiations, background studies, guidelines and publications and capacity building for participants.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
224 Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy |
17 |
1 |
1 |
7 |
26 |
4.5 | |||
234 Fisheries Policy |
10 |
8 |
10 |
1 |
1 |
30 |
4.0 | ||
221 Nutrition |
2 |
3 |
1 |
13 |
1 |
20 |
3.9 | ||
212 Crops |
3 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
11 |
2.6 | |||
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
2 |
6 |
3 |
6 |
2 |
19 |
1.8 | ||
244 Forest Programmes Coordination and Information |
12 |
1 |
13 |
1.7 | |||||
233 Fisheries Exploitation and Utilisation |
6 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
12 |
1.1 |
223 Food and Agricultural Monitoring, Assessments and Outlooks |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
6 |
1.0 | ||
Other Programmes |
11 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
19 |
2.4 |
Total |
64 |
22 |
6 |
39 |
10 |
13 |
2 |
156 |
23.0 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
50. Among the challenges to be addressed in further developing the international policy and regulatory framework is to facilitate the full and informed participation of all FAO Members, with due regard to the special concerns of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Outputs were focused largely on international undertakings and related coordination and information exchange. The following are examples of the support provided by the Organization to international instruments during the biennium:
Biosecurity for Agriculture and Food Production (BIOS)
The PAIA was instrumental in fostering the concepts inherent in, and the effective implementation of, a biosecurity approach in order to analyse and manage risks related to food safety issues, animal life and health issues, and plant life and health issues, including the associated environmental risks. Assistance was provided to a Technical Consultation on Biological Risk Management in Food and Agriculture (including Fisheries and Forestry) held in Bangkok, with the participation of government experts and resource persons and representatives of international and regional organizations. An Inter-Departmental Working Group led an interagency initiative involving the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the World Trade Organization (WTO), the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Office of Epizootics (OIE) (and within FAO the Codex and International Plant Protection Convention [IPPC] programmes) to establish an Internet-based portal to facilitate the exchange of biosecurity related information. A Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) was developed in cooperation with other partners and facilitated increased coordination of biosecurity related technical assistance at the national level by FAO and these partners.
51. Regarding international trade, FAO provided support to developing countries for trade negotiations through the Geneva Round Tables, regional seminars under the Umbrella framework, the Cancun Symposium, a Ministerial Roundtable in Rome, and publications on the implications of negotiating proposals. FAO contributed actively to consensus building on commodity and trade issues, with Intergovernmental Groups and other sessions on a wide range of commodities.
WTO Multi-lateral Trade Negotiations on Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (AWTO)
The PAIA ensured in particular a coordinated FAO interface with important developments in the WTO and related Multi-lateral Negotiations. Specific achievements in the biennium included: preparation of and support to FAO participation in the WTO Conferences in Doha and Cancun; joint formulation of a new FAO capacity building programme, the so-called Umbrella II programme; the completion of FAO’s Trade Website; contributions to the organization of five Round Tables covering a range of issues on agricultural negotiations; and active briefings of Permanent Representatives to FAO, especially before and after the WTO Conferences.
52. International fish trade was promoted by providing timely marketing and trade information, capacity building in developing countries and guidance on the main fish trade issues. The 9th session of the Sub-Committee on Fish Trade provided a useful forum for discussing sensitive issues (safety and quality, traceability, market access, eco-labelling, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora [CITES], technical barriers to trade [TBT]) that affect international fish trade.
Climate Change Issues in Agriculture (CLIM)
The PAIA contributed to the further consideration of agricultural issues in fora such as the International Panel on Climate Change and the Bodies established for implementation of the Framework Convention on Climate Change. Through the PAIA, further mainstreaming of climate change issues in FAO programmes was pursued, including support to discussions at the Committee on Agriculture (COAG) and the Committee on Forestry (COFO), leading to clarifications of FAO’s role in relation to climate change. The PAIA supported development of innovative approaches and facilitated the formulation of technical materials and the provision of assistance to member countries on a variety of climate change issues, such as: legal matters; mitigation and adaptation policies and programmes; conservation agriculture; sustainable and renewable sources of energy; forestry, water and land management; national capacity building in land cover monitoring and desertification control, links of forestry with climate change and carbon sink negotiations.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
212 Crops |
3 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
2 |
1 |
14 |
3.3 | |
313 Legal Assistance to Member Nations |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
3.1 | |||
243 Forestry Policy and Planning |
7 |
3 |
2 |
8 |
4 |
24 |
3.0 | ||
224 Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy |
1 |
10 |
1 |
5 |
17 |
2.9 | |||
234 Fisheries Policy |
3 |
7 |
3 |
13 |
1.7 | ||||
215 Agricultural Applications of Isotopes and Biotechnology |
1 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
7 |
1.3 | ||
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
3 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
1.3 | ||||
211 Natural Resources |
1 |
4 |
1 |
6 |
1.2 | ||||
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
6 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
13 |
1.2 | |||
312 Policy Assistance to Various Regions |
10 |
10 |
1.1 | ||||||
Other Programmes |
5 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
16 |
1.9 |
Total |
28 |
40 |
5 |
9 |
11 |
25 |
11 |
129 |
22.2 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
53. FAO advises its Members on the implications of the international policy and regulatory framework for food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry. The Organization provides essential assistance to developing countries, and those with economies in transition, in assessing, adapting to and implementing the international policy and regulatory mechanisms. All major programmes were active in providing direct support in developing sound national legislation and relevant supporting mechanisms and building national capacities to respond to, and benefit from, changes in the regulatory and trade environment.
54. The ICPM, with FAO’s support through the Secretariat of the IPPC, adopted a voluntary Trust Fund mechanism which allows increased participation by developing countries in standard setting, the implementation of standards and support to technical assistance and information exchange. Standards were used by governments as a basis for national phytosanitary regulations; this is reflected by the importance that the standards are given in the WTO SPS Committee and in WTO dispute settlement.
55. Significant assistance was provided to improve the legal framework for food and agriculture at the national level both through direct assistance and normative work in emerging areas such as genetic resources, biotechnology, trade and mountains.
56. A major achievement was the establishment and syndication of funding for the National Forest Programme Facility (NFPF) a multi-donor and multi-partner funding mechanism hosted by FAO. National forest programmes at the country level have been reinforced, leveraging the impact of FAO technical assistance in this field.
57. Technical assistance was provided to several regional economic groupings in developing regional food security strategies, notably to the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (BSEC), the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), the Caribbean Forum (CARIFORUM), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the Council of Arab Economic Unity (CAEU).
58. The Fisheries Department provided considerable direct support to Members in the implementation of policies that promote equitable and sustainable use of aquatic resources, generally through promulgation of the CCRF.
59. Following recommendations of the 24th COFI, FAO convened the first two sessions of the COFI Aquaculture Sub-Committee. Progress was made on development of the FAO Aquaculture Glossary, Aquaculture Species Fact sheet and National Aquaculture Sector Overview (NASO). A preliminary study on national aquaculture legislation was initiated.
60. The primary thrusts of this corporate strategy have been on improving the policy environment and institutional frameworks addressing systems management constraints and supporting the transfer and use of appropriate technology aimed at the sustainable intensification of production systems. FAO developed and disseminated normative instruments (guidelines, compendia of “best practices”, etc.) delivered policy and technical advice and assistance, and promoted capacity building. It acted as a synthesizer and disseminator of information on technology, approaches and decision support tools, and as the proponent of successful solutions.
61. Coordination and monitoring of the SPFS was a major activity related to this corporate strategy. During 2002-03, the programme was implemented in 75 countries and the South-South Cooperation (SSC) arrangements implemented in 28 countries.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
312 Policy Assistance to Various Regions |
17 |
51 |
15 |
15 |
9 |
107 |
11.6 | ||
256 Food Production in Support of Food Security in LIFDCs |
6 |
6 |
8.4 | ||||||
214 Agricultural Support Systems |
8 |
8 |
5 |
4 |
10 |
7 |
42 |
7.5 | |
311 Coordination of Policy Assistance and Field Programme Development |
10 |
2 |
2 |
14 |
3.2 | ||||
212 Crops |
4 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
10 |
2.3 | |||
211 Natural Resources |
2 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
11 |
2.3 | ||
233 Fisheries Exploitation and Utilisation |
4 |
10 |
2 |
4 |
20 |
1.8 | |||
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
4 |
2 |
6 |
1.6 | |||||
234 Fisheries Policy |
6 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
10 |
1.3 | |||
Other Programmes |
5 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
3 |
17 |
2.5 |
Total |
62 |
79 |
26 |
0 |
17 |
38 |
21 |
243 |
42.4 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
62. Strategic Objective C1 focuses on improving production and market support services, including input supply and rural finance. FAO’s response includes the identification and study of and advice on international and national trends, helping strengthen agriculture and rural development support institutions, and promoting structural adaptations in production processing and marketing systems to enable them to be more responsive to consumer patterns.
63. Major Programme 3.1 was particularly active, providing direct advice through decentralized policy assistance units, as well as information and targeted studies. Issue papers and country profiles were prepared for member countries and FAO participated fully in country processes such as the UN system Network on Rural Development and Food Security, the common country assessment (CCA), the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF) and Poverty Reduction Strategy Papers (PRSPs). A Country Information System was developed and systematically updated by the decentralized units. Assistance was provided in identifying and formulating field programme opportunities and needs.
64. Major Programmes 2.1 and 2.5 had a focus on this strategic objective, although contributions have been provided by other sectors as well. Programme 2.1.4, Agricultural Support Systems, was active in several areas. Studies in agricultural marketing, rural finance, and mechanization strategies were completed and published. Awareness has been raised of the importance of the post-harvest sector as a source of income and employment and as a means of reducing food insecurity. Extensive support of the field programme and advisory assistance were provided to member states in these areas.
Food for the Cities (FCIT)
The achievements under this PAIA included: sensitisation and training activities for the benefit of national authorities facing urgent problems in supplying adequate food to rapidly expanding urban populations; the issuance of technical guidelines to foster environmentally sustainable urban and peri-urban agricultural systems; a briefing guide for practitioners on urban and peri-urban agriculture; and the study and development of sustainable irrigation practices adapted to peri-urban areas, including the safe use of waste water, as a pre-condition to the production of safe food and animal produce. In addition, a “Food for the Cities” section of FAO’s website was established. The PAIA ensured FAO’s participation in a variety of international meetings of relevance to its theme, and facilitated case studies for a number of regional and national seminars.
65. The Natural Resources Programme provided assistance in examining optimal land use options, taking into account growing needs for agricultural diversification, and fertilizer use policies, especially in Africa.
66. Strategies and technologies for sustainable crop and grassland production systems were developed as a contribution to this strategic objective. Many areas were advanced, such as for forage production and conservation; the consolidation of the Global Cassava Development Strategy, organic agriculture and horticulture in general for income generation; and integrated production systems development including Good Agricultural Practices.
Organic Agriculture (ORGA)
The PAIA led to the implementation of several important inter-disciplinary outputs, including: the development and constant updating of a section of FAO’s website on organic agriculture, with a new service - the organic agriculture information system; the establishment of an International Task Force on harmonization and equivalency in organic agriculture; the production of an awareness folder on organic agriculture issues; and the elaboration of a methodology for assessing the impact of organic agriculture on the economies of developing countries. As work progressed and FAO became more active in the area of organic agriculture, donors have been increasingly interested in providing support to organic agriculture projects.
67. Work on sustainable development of small-scale fisheries has focused on diversification of fishing efforts, safety at sea, increased efficiency in post-harvest systems and improvement of market opportunities. Research and training on demographic characteristics and credit for artisanal fishing communities, with attention to gender issues and participatory methodologies were also undertaken.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
212 Crops |
6 |
4 |
4 |
7 |
2 |
6 |
29 |
6.7 | |
211 Natural Resources |
4 |
2 |
6 |
7 |
4 |
23 |
4.7 | ||
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
5 |
2 |
7 |
2 |
2 |
18 |
4.7 | ||
213 Livestock |
5 |
3 |
2 |
6 |
16 |
4.3 | |||
256 Food Production in Support of Food Security in LIFDCs |
3 |
3 |
4.2 | ||||||
215 Agricultural Applications of Isotopes and Biotechnology |
2 |
5 |
2 |
5 |
3 |
4 |
21 |
4.0 | |
214 Agricultural Support Systems |
1 |
1 |
4 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
12 |
2.1 | |
210 Intra-departmental Programme Entities for Agricultural Production and Support Systems |
11 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
1 |
21 |
2.0 | ||
242 Forest Products |
4 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
15 |
1.9 | |
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
6 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
1 |
2 |
20 |
1.8 | |
233 Fisheries Exploitation and Utilisation |
3 |
4 |
1 |
2 |
4 |
1 |
15 |
1.4 | |
243 Forestry Policy and Planning |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
1.0 | |||
241 Forest Resources |
2 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
8 |
0.9 | ||
Other Programmes |
0 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
0.5 |
Total |
51 |
24 |
38 |
1 |
45 |
32 |
21 |
212 |
40.3 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
68. FAO addresses this strategic objective through the monitoring of advances in technology, including biotechnology, promoting research and testing of promising technologies, and in general enhancing sustainable production of crop, livestock, fishery, wood and non-wood forest products. The response includes outputs involving studies and the development of new methodologies which are then promulgated through information exchange and information products.
69. All of the major technical disciplines have participated, both in interdisciplinary entities and in sector-specific support.
Integrated Production Systems (SARD/SPFS) (PROD)
Work under the PROD PAIA is catalyzed by an intra-departmental entity (210A1) which fostered work on Good Agricultural Practices (GAP), the economics of Integrated Production Systems, and supported regional pilot projects. Attention was given to establishing four benchmark pilot sites for field work linked to the SPFS. Work in South-western Burkina Faso and in Western Kenya gave very promising initial results, in cooperation with diverse development partners, encompassing activities that will likely lead to increased productivity and incomes at the farm and rural community levels. Efforts to launch similar cooperative work in Honduras and in Indonesia were somewhat less successful. Work on GAP specifically included the development of a concept paper discussed at COAG, the hosting of electronic conferences, the launching of a pilot project in Burkina Faso, a national workshop leading to the development of a range of commodity guidelines in collaboration with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation EMBRAPA and an expert consultation. Concerning the economics of Integrated Production Systems, case studies, analyses and reports were commissioned in Africa (Burkina Faso and Kenya), Asia (Indonesia and Nepal) and Latin America (Brazil and Chile).
70. An inter-disciplinary approach has also been central to the support of conservation agriculture. Mechanization technologies for sustainable land husbandry were promoted in a series of international and regional workshops. Significant uptake of the approach during 2002-03 was noted (see paragraph on Programme 2.1.0 in the Summary of Programme Implementation below).
71. Alternative crops and cultivars were promoted through information/decision support tools such as EcoCrop and EcoPort. Promising crops and cultivars, such as cold-tolerant oil palm, sweet sorghum, and cactus pear, were demonstrated and promoted. A wide range of strategies and technologies for sustainable crop and grassland production were promoted, including horticulture, field crops, pastures, range and industrial crops. IPM approaches to integrated weed management, and policy solutions and support for national integrated IPM programmes were also provided.
72. Land and water aspects of this strategic objective were also addressed during the biennium. Soil fertility/productivity decline is better understood and the concept of integrated plant nutrition management was promoted at the national level. Both normative and direct assistance outputs related to irrigation and crop water management were produced.
73. The role of livestock in integrated production systems was addressed. Contributions were made on alternative animal feeds, animal food safety, integrated parasite control and the understanding of parasite resistance. There were also outputs relating to milk production and processing, including guides to milk producer groups and milk payment systems.
74. Within the inter-disciplinary and inter-agency framework for this strategic objective, Programme 2.1.5 was also active in contributing to the development of higher yielding varieties of basic food crops in Africa and Asia through the combined use of mutation induction and biotechnology. Appropriate applications of biotechnology were promoted with particular emphasis on national capacity building accompanied by several activities devoted to identification of needs, priority setting and development of appropriate tools.
Biotechnology Applications in Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (BTEC)
Major achievements under this PAIA included: the further expansion of the Biotechnology section of FAO’s website in terms of content, language coverage and outreach; multi-disciplinary policy assistance at national level; and responses to developments in other inter-governmental fora in relation to biotechnology. Further work is planned to strengthen the policy and institutional dimensions of FAO’s work in this area, particularly in relation to Biosafety. Additional effort will also be needed to provide more comprehensive information on biotechnology applications in livestock, agro-industry, fisheries and forestry.
75. The strategic objective was advanced through support provided to National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) and their regional and subregional fora through the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) and through FAO’s support of the Technical Advisory Group (TAC), now renamed Science Council, of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) under Programme 2.5.1.
76. Sustainable intensification of aquaculture and inland fisheries was supported through technical reviews and guidelines to increase aquaculture production and efficiency for food security and poverty alleviation. Aspects covered included aquaculture production intensification, farming systems which integrate aquaculture with irrigation, rice and livestock, river and lake fisheries, rural aquaculture and aquatic resources management for improved livelihood.
77. Best practices in forest harvesting and engineering, as well as the development of sustainable wood energy systems, were promoted. The impact of cultivation and gathering of medicinal plants on biodiversity was analysed in the context of FAO meeting on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Approach.
78. FAO has assisted the global community in addressing natural resource management and conservation issues through implementation of Agenda 21 of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). It focused on assisting in the practical application of the measures needed, provided assessments of natural resources, policy and technical advice, and the exchange of information and knowledge.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
241 Forest Resources |
5 |
6 |
2 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
1 |
24 |
2.7 |
212 Crops |
4 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
9 |
2.1 | ||
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
7 |
1 |
7 |
5 |
20 |
1.8 | |||
211 Natural Resources |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
1.6 | ||
252 Gender and Population |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
14 |
1.3 | ||
Other Programmes |
5 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
1 |
13 |
2.1 |
Total |
24 |
10 |
7 |
2 |
18 |
25 |
2 |
88 |
11.6 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
79. The challenge of this strategic objective is to identify and promote integrated resource management systems that are economically viable, environmentally sustainable and appropriate both socially and culturally. As an emerging area, FAO’s outputs have focused on carrying out studies, defining methodologies and sharing the results through information products and exchange.
Integrated Management of Biological Diversity for Food and Agriculture (BIOD)
This PAIA's achievements included: the promotion of mixed agricultural systems such as rice-fish farming and agroforestry; participatory training for integrated pest management; advice on soil and water conservation in relation to biodiversity; and technologies for use and maintenance of natural and low-input grasslands. Work under this PAIA also addressed legal and economic aspects of agricultural biodiversity, and sought to capitalize on FAO’s multidisciplinary expertise by promoting an integrated approach to biodiversity conservation and sustainable use. The IDWG coordinating the PAIA also ensured the necessary synergies among, and the sharing of lessons learned by, staff active in the many technical units responsible for biological diversity in agriculture, fisheries, and forestry.
80. A substantial number of guidelines and information products, related to sustainable management of natural forests and woodlands, were developed and disseminated, accompanied by workshops, seminars and training courses. The goal of these outputs was to enhance capacity to protect and sustainably manage natural forests and woodlands while still producing a variety of goods and services. Best practices and success stories in forest management are being assembled in the Asia Pacific region and in Central Africa.
81. The roles of forest plantations and trees outside forests were also addressed through technical publications (working papers, formal papers, manuals, guidelines, country reports, case studies, global and regional analyses, status reports) on issues highlighted by member countries.
82. Aspects of the CCRF that contribute to this strategic objective were supported, including sustainable aquaculture practices and inland fisheries management, mitigation of environmental damage, reducing the risk of transfer of aquatic pathogens, addressing biodiversity concerns, documentation and management of genetic resources and introduction of alien and exotic species.
83. The role of gender in the management of natural resources was the subject of studies presented, inter alia, in the context of the Local Indigenous Knowledge, Gender and Biodiversity (Links) Project. Outputs were produced addressing gender-responsive methods in a wide range of resource management contexts including biodiversity, food security, and land tenure.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
241 Forest Resources |
9 |
4 |
2 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
21 |
2.3 |
211 Natural Resources |
3 |
2 |
5 |
1.0 | |||||
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
1 |
1 |
1 |
3 |
0.8 | ||||
233 Fisheries Exploitation and Utilisation |
1 |
4 |
2 |
7 |
0.6 | ||||
Other Programmes |
2 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
5 |
0.6 |
Total |
12 |
4 |
2 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
3 |
41 |
5.4 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
84. Although activities related to this strategic objective were of a relatively modest scale, important progress was achieved in monitoring and assessing the state of fragile ecosystems, assisting in the practical implementation of those chapters of Agenda 21 and of international conventions relating to such systems. Further relevant activities involved building capacity to sustainably develop and conserve those environments within that framework. Land and water issues in fragile wetland areas in SADC countries were addressed, including a regional strategy and field guidelines for planning and development.
Strengthening Capacity for Integrated Ecosystem Management (ECOM)
The ECOM PAIA operates through three interdepartmental working groups working in parallel with different objectives and memberships: a Working Group on the Integrated Ecosystem Management Approach (IEMA); a Working Group on Desertification to support the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD); and a Working Group on Mountains to support FAO’s inter-disciplinary mountain programmes and the implementation of Chapter 13 of Agenda 21. The IEMA IDWG organized three in-house meetings and seminars, prepared two technical reports, and supported the implementation of a dedicated website. The IDWG on desertification was involved in supporting field activities in response to the UNCCD process. It facilitated FAO’s participation in main UNCCD fora (e.g. COPs), established a formal collaboration framework with these UNCCD bodies and launched programmes on land degradation assessment of drylands (LADA) and on the sustainable management of Fouta Djallon Highlands in West Africa. The IDWG on mountains was very active in supporting the International Year of Mountains for which FAO was the lead agency, and in ensuring a very successful outcome of this initiative.
85. In Fisheries, progress was achieved in measures to reduce bycatch, including seabirds. In particular, a study to estimate discards in marine fisheries on a global level was conducted.
86. This corporate strategy deals with the development of norms, definitions, methodologies and tools for the improved collection and use of data; assessments of clients' current and new information requirements; maintenance and augmentation of FAO’s basic data series on food and agriculture; building capacity at the national level; promoting the exchange of information among clients; and continuing the development of WAICENT as the key international information service proving the framework for the harmonization and dissemination of data falling within FAO’s mandate.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
222 Food and Agricultural Information |
23 |
47 |
77 |
8 |
17 |
3 |
5 |
180 |
31.2 |
231 Fisheries Information |
14 |
7 |
27 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
3 |
59 |
6.2 |
251 Research, Natural Resources Management and Technology Transfer |
4 |
1 |
7 |
4 |
4 |
3 |
23 |
6.0 | |
223 Food and Agricultural Monitoring, Assessments and Outlooks |
8 |
17 |
3 |
4 |
32 |
5.5 | |||
221 Nutrition |
5 |
7 |
4 |
1 |
5 |
22 |
4.3 | ||
213 Livestock |
2 |
4 |
3 |
3 |
2 |
14 |
3.8 | ||
211 Natural Resources |
4 |
9 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
17 |
3.5 | |
242 Forest Products |
11 |
3 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
22 |
2.8 | ||
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
4 |
2 |
12 |
1 |
19 |
1.8 | |||
214 Agricultural Support Systems |
4 |
1 |
3 |
1 |
9 |
1.6 | |||
244 Forest Programmes Coordination and Information |
6 |
4 |
1 |
11 |
1.5 | ||||
212 Crops |
2 |
2 |
4 |
0.9 | |||||
Other Programmes |
5 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
11 |
1.1 |
Total |
88 |
57 |
178 |
14 |
43 |
23 |
20 |
423 |
70.1 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
87. Consistent with the mandate and priority provided in Article 1 of the Constitution to “collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information related to nutrition, food and agriculture,” this strategic objective continued to be the focus of a large portion of the FAO programme both in terms of the number of outputs and utilization of resources. Virtually all programmes produce information outputs and therefore contribute to the strategic objective.
88. Almost half of the indicative expenditure is in Programme 2.2.2 Food and Agriculture Information, which is shared by ES and GI and includes work related to the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS), statistics on agriculture, trade and commodities, the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT) and related information management and dissemination initiatives. Key contributions were the launching of the FAOSTAT2 project to modernize FAO’s corporate database, and substantial improvements in the coverage and quality of trade statistics. WAICENT recorded a 60% increase in visits to FAO Web sites over the biennium. A new programmatic framework for WAICENT has been developed, entitled “Bridging the Rural Digital Divide,” to foster dissemination of information to member countries. As 95% of the outputs of Programme 2.2.2 support this strategic objective, the reader is directed to the more detailed discussion of this programme in the Summary of Programme Implementation.
Definitions, Norms, Methodologies and Quality of Information (QINF)
In addition to statistical data, the PAIA gave attention to improving procedures for publishing documents and Web sites, thus broadening the scope of quality and consistency issues to include different types of information resources. Work continued on establishing appropriate linkages across various glossaries, categorisation schemes, thesauri and other vocabularies used in FAO and in its sector of activity. Standardization of country-specific information was also pursued and networks and partnerships sought as these have proved increasingly important in the wide adoption of standards for information sharing. In the future, the scope of work of QINF should be broadened to take into account the activities of other standard-setting groups in FAO (e.g. the SPAT PAIA described below, the FAOSTAT2 Project Executive Board, the WAICENT Web Guide initiative) and in the UN System (e.g. UN Geographic Information Working Group), while links with the WAICENT Advisory Group should be clarified.
89. All of the outputs produced by Programme 2.3.1 Fisheries Information were in support of this strategic objective. This programme includes the Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS) and support for the Aquatic Sciences and Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA). FIGIS has been largely completed, comprising 25 integrated modules. Through various query tools, users can access database records or fact sheets in a systematic and consistent way. Regarding ASFA, the bibliographic database reached 900,000 references and, through various initiatives, access to ASFA resources has been improved.
90. In Programme 2.5.1, member countries and intergovernmental bodies were assisted in making effective use of databases, information systems and related tools for sustainable development. The role of information and communication technology in agricultural research, extension and education was also actively promoted.
Spatial Information Management and Decision Support Tools (SPAT)
Achievements of the SPAT PAIA included: the establishment of an operational coordination mechanism; the preparation of a draft report on GIS standards and norms to be used in-house; the further development of GeoNetwork and its acceptance both in-house and by external users as an international hub for retrieval of FAO spatial data; the preparation of a sub national database on land use (Agro-MAPS); the establishment of a web site to cover FAO's spatial information; the preparation of a sub-national boundary database and a global hydrological map; and the formulation and acceptance of a copyright clause for published spatial material.
91. The Commodities and Trade Division, in Programme 2.2.3, developed new databases for all basic food commodities at the country level designed to analyse current global market developments and assess their impact on developing countries, especially their status of food security. Other databases and information products were developed or expanded relating to tropical, horticultural and raw materials commodities. Particular highlights were the successful completion of the fibre consumption survey, the study of non-traditional agricultural exports which provided unique analytical information on diversification possibilities, and responses to increasing demands for information concerning organic and fair trade products.
92. Regarding land and water databases, standards and norms in Agro-ecological Zone (AEZ) were developed, and land resources and land use inventories were increasingly accepted as global standards, with increased involvement of developing countries and international institutions to follow these approaches. The AQUASTAT database and information system was expanded and improved, including a total review of the Web site. High demand for the data was shown in particular through the steady increase in web access to land and water information systems and use of data by the World Resource Institute, UNEP, UN-Water and other UN agencies.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
223 Food and Agricultural Monitoring, Assessments and Outlooks |
8 |
11 |
1 |
9 |
29 |
5.0 | |||
213 Livestock |
2 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
8 |
2.1 | |||
232 Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
6 |
12 |
1.1 | ||
243 Forestry Policy and Planning |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
8 |
1.0 | |||
241 Forest Resources |
2 |
6 |
1 |
9 |
1.0 | ||||
234 Fisheries Policy |
1 |
1 |
5 |
7 |
0.9 | ||||
Other Programmes |
0 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
0 |
9 |
1.2 |
Total |
18 |
1 |
20 |
1 |
6 |
35 |
1 |
82 |
12.4 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
93. The challenge facing the Organization is to respond to the increasing and more diversified demand for global assessments and analyses and to adapt to the changing needs of Members. Longstanding flagship publications such as World Agriculture Towards 2015/30, the State of Food and Agriculture, the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture, the State of the World’s Forests and Food Outlook were produced together with supporting sectoral and cross-sectoral studies on topics of special interest such as biodiversity, climate change and environment degradation.
Global Perspective Studies (GLOP)
The GLOP PAIA is aimed at increasing the multi-disciplinary content of the various perspective studies carried out in various sectors (i.e. agriculture, food and nutrition, crop and livestock, fisheries, forestry, natural resources), facilitating co-operation in preparing such studies, and ensuring consistency between the assumptions used and across the views and statements of the Organization on the long-term developments. The PAIA covered in particular the “World Agriculture: Towards 2015/2030” study (both full and summary report), the regional perspective studies for the livestock sector in Latin America and Asia, for the forestry sector in Africa, and the preparatory work for similar forestry studies for Latin America, Europe and West and Central Asia. Improvements were made in the estimates for undernourishment, the water and irrigation data bases, and the assessment of the efficiency of water and fertilizer use which feed into global studies. In parallel, preparatory work has started on the development of an analytical tool for undertaking scenario analysis.
94. Comprehensive market assessments with respect to global food security were performed and disseminated through the Global Information and Early Warning System (GIEWS). These assessments provided policy and impact analysis of emerging developments such as animal diseases, global weather events, and significant policy changes using the most recent information. Focused assessments and food security reports for tropical, horticultural and raw material commodities were also produced, with greater emphasis on analytical studies and use of quantitative/modelling tools to provide for rigorous policy analysis and forecasting.
95. In the livestock sector, particular attention is given to the rapid structural change in the context of burgeoning demand for animal products in many developing countries and to the options available to public policy makers.
96. In fisheries, The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture 2002 and the World Fisheries and Aquaculture Atlas were published and about 70 Fishery Country Profiles were prepared or revised. Regular monitoring and reporting continued on global and regional status and trends of aquaculture and inland fisheries, and four studies projecting future fish consumption were prepared.
97. The Global Forest Resources Assessment (FRA 2000) was published in four languages and the findings reviewed. With support from expert consultations, a newly established FRA advisory group and a network of national correspondents, the scope, approach, contents and methodology of FRA 2005 were developed and endorsed by COFO 2003. The State of the World's Forests 2003 and a Forestry Outlook Study for Africa was completed. Most work on Latin America Forestry Sector Outlook study and the European Forestry Sector Outlook studies has also been completed and the final reports are in preparation.
|
Biennial Outputs Contributing to Strategic Objective (by Type) |
Indicative Expenditure (US$ million) | |||||||
Programme |
CO |
DA |
IN |
IU |
ME |
ST |
TR |
Total |
|
224 Agriculture, Food Security and Trade Policy |
7 |
5 |
12 |
2.1 | |||||
222 Food and Agricultural Information |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
0.7 | ||||
211 Natural Resources |
1 |
2 |
3 |
0.6 | |||||
Total |
9 |
1 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
7 |
0 |
19 |
3.4 |
LEGEND: | |||||||||
CO - Coordination and Information Exchange | |||||||||
DA - Direct Advice to Members and Field Programme Support | |||||||||
IN - Information (Products, Systems, Databases) | |||||||||
IU - International Undertakings, Agreements/Conventions, Standards | |||||||||
ME - Methodologies and Guidelines | |||||||||
ST - Studies and Analyses | |||||||||
TR - Training (including training courses and materials) | |||||||||
98. The World Food Summit: five years later (WFS:fyl) was held in conjunction with the 28th session of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS) to expedite action on implementing the WFS Plan of Action. 180 delegations participated. Work is now underway towards a mid-term review in 2006 of progress towards the WFS target.
99. Two PAIAs are of a corporate nature in that they not only cut cross sectors but also are relevant to all strategic objectives. These are Gender and Development (GEND) and Ethics in Food and Agriculture (ETHI).
100. Progress on gender concerns was reported directly to the FAO Conference at its 32nd session in 2003 in document C 2003/6 Progress Report on Implementation of the FAO Gender Plan of Action 2002-06.
Ethics in Food and Agriculture (ETHI)
Under the auspices of the PAIA and its internal coordinating mechanism, the Panel of Experts on Ethics in Food and Agriculture met and considered a range of ethical issues surrounding the global emergence of hunger, globalization, biotechnology and genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and rights and benefit sharing. The second report with its conclusions on these issues was published in all languages. The PAIA also oversaw the preparation of various studies carried out by technical departments, e.g. "The Ethics of Sustainable Agricultural Intensification" and "Ethics and the Globalization of Food and Agriculture". The PAIA also coordinated the Organization’s response to growing requests from outside institutions to take part in activities and coordination mechanisms on ethics, in particular the new UN Interagency Committee on Bioethics and meetings convened by UNESCO.
101. The Strategic Framework for FAO 2000-2015 identified six Strategies to address Cross-organizational Issues:
102. The Medium Term Plan 2002-07 identified the main thrust for the last five strategies over the medium term. Progress in their implementation during 2002-03 is summarized below.
103. In the MTP 2002-07 it was noted that elaboration of the strategy for ensuring excellence was deferred to the MTP 2004-09 and progress in the implementation of this strategy would be addressed beginning with the PIR 2004-05.
104. In the formulation of the MTP 2004-09, carried out in 2003, four practical dimensions for ensuring excellence in FAO were identified:
105. Initial focus was envisaged on two aspects: staff and other human resources and organizational learning and innovation. Work on these aspects was scheduled to commence in 2004.
106. The thrust of this strategy was to:
107. The main means for achieving interdisciplinarity was through the 16 Priority Areas for Inter-disciplinary Action (PAIAs). The achievements of the PAIA groups are reported in the boxes which have been included for each PAIA under the relevant Strategic Objective in the first part of this section on "Progress Towards Implementation of the Strategic Framework". There was also a programme entity 210S5 Central Support to PAIAs which provided catalytic support to the PAIA groups to initiate and carry out selected interdisciplinary activities. The achievements of this entity are described under Summary of Programme Implementation.
108. From a system perspective, planning and monitoring of divisional outputs which contribute to PAIAs are recorded in PIRES so that the PAIA coordinating mechanism can easily see the current status of all proposed or planned contributions.
109. In general, PAIAs have produced a number of very valuable inter-disciplinary outputs as can be seen from the boxes earlier in this section. For a full account of the work being undertaken by PAIAs, reference can be made to www.fao.org/paia which is the index page for all PAIA Web sites.
110. The focus of the strategy was on:
111. During the biennium, FAO actively participated in the UN Development Group (UNDG) decision-making and advisory bodies including the UNDG Support, Management and Programme Group and several issue-specific working groups. Major outcomes of the work of UNDG that were achieved during the biennium with contributions from FAO include the revised Common Country Assessment/United Nations Development Assistance Framework guidelines for UN Country Teams, the revised UNDG Guidance Note on Joint Programming and the revised UNDG guidance note on Millennium Development Goal Reporting also for use by UN Country Teams. The Organization also continued to participate in the Inter-Agency Standing Committee and its working groups, contributing to coordination, fundraising, and policy discussions on consolidated appeals, gender and HIV/AIDS, contingency planning, human rights and humanitarian action, internally displaced persons, etc.
112. Through participation in inter-agency UN/World Bank Emergency Needs Assessment Missions for reconstruction in post-conflict situations in Sri Lanka, Sudan, Liberia and the Philippines, FAO was able to mobilize over US$ 154 million for emergency assistance. Collaboration was undertaken with WFP in emergency and humanitarian issues in 44 countries, in formulating the agriculture component of WFP's 2002 Protracted Relief and Rehabilitation Operations for Southern Africa and in technical assistance in the formulation, appraisal and evaluation of WFP country strategies.
113. A letter of agreement between FAO and UNHCR strengthening the existing partnership was finalized and new areas of cooperation were identified. FAO and UNHCR undertook discussions at technical and policy levels on innovative ways for agricultural-based livelihood programmes to promote self-reliance for refugees and returnees.
114. A Memorandum of Understanding was also signed between FAO and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). In its capacity as a GEF Executing Agency, FAO is collaborating with the GEF Implementing Agencies (World Bank, UNDP and UNEP) in activities on integrated ecosystem management, sustainable forestry and fisheries management, agrobiodiversity, renewable energies in agricultural production, and integrated pest management.
115. The Organization, particularly through the Investment Centre, continued to strengthen its partnership with international financial institutions including the World Bank (which almost doubled its investment support to member countries compared to the previous biennium), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the African (AfDB), Asian (AsDB), Inter-American (IDB) and Islamic (IsDB) Development Banks and subregional development banks. Support was also provided to the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), with assistance provided to African countries to prepare pan-African, regional and national programmes and profiles of bankable projects. Additional information on investment related cooperation is reported as part of the "Summary of Programme Implementation" under Programme 3.2 Support to Investment.
116. Within the Organization, the NGO/CSO Working Group undertook policy and strategy formulation, information exchange and promotion of action for implementation of FAO’s Policy and Strategy for cooperation with NGOs and other CSOs. The working group included focal points within both headquarters technical divisions and decentralized offices. A review of FAO’s rules and procedures for establishing formal relations with civil society organizations and their participation in intergovernmental meetings was initiated and guidelines developed to apply the Programme and Project Review Committee (PPRC) criterion regarding participation, partnerships and alliances. A Web site targeted specifically at NGOs/CSOs and a corporate NGO/CSO database was also developed. Further information is reported as part of the "Summary of Programme Implementation" under Programme 3.5 Cooperation with External Partners.
117. Enhanced cooperation in field activities included the launching of a FAO-civil society programme on Mainstreaming small-scale family-based agro-ecological methods of food production with over a dozen governments having submitted requests to FAO for technical assistance in this area. Civil society capacity building was funded under TCP upon the request of countries, and efforts were made to ensure participation of farmer’s organizations in the formulation of the agriculture component of NEPAD.
118. Efforts were undertaken to promote collaboration with the private sector. Meetings were held with several existing or potential partners to further collaboration and identify themes conducive to private sector partnerships. The exchange of information was identified as particularly important and preparatory work was initiated on a private sector database linked to the Field Programme Management Information System. Regular discussions were held with the International Agri-Food Network (IAFN), which groups a number of private industry associations and other organizations involved in the agriculture sector. The Government of Italy provided FAO with trust fund support for joint identification, formulation and co-financing of projects with local administrations. The first project under this programme concerned peri-urban agriculture development in Kigali (Rwanda), jointly formulated by the municipalities of Kigali and Rome.
119. As indicated in the MTP 2002-07, the focus of the strategy was to:
120. Strengthening the culture of accountability was taken a step forward with the successful implementation of Results Based Budgeting2 (RBB) for all technical programmes. This involved the clear definition of the rationale and objective of each programme entity as well as identifying the major outputs, their expected outcomes and indicators to measure their achievement. The use of the RBB model was fully supported by PIRES where the module for medium-term planning was built and released for use in develop the MTP 2004-09. This was followed by an auto-evaluation of the system which pointed to a number of possible improvements that were taken on board in the context of the module for PWB preparation. The PWB module was released for use in the preparation of the PWB 2004-05.
121. Several system enhancements were implemented in Oracle Financials and related systems during the biennium 2002-03, including the introduction of the new Web-based Budget Maintenance Module (eBMM) which provides improved budget management functionality, and the development of eTravel which simplifies the processing and certification of lump sum entitlement payments. Oracle Applications was successfully upgraded to the Web-based release 11i which provides opportunities for further streamlining of the business processes in the Organization. In this regard, the new Finance Division intranet site was used to communicate policy and procedural documentation to user groups both in headquarters and decentralized offices. In recognition that information systems and technology are fundamental to improvements in the management process, the Information Systems and Technology Division (AFI) expanded its role as a major partner in delivery of all the information systems.
122. Human Resource (HR) developments have taken place in a number of areas. Human resources planning workshops were held with the managers in all departments and regional offices to identify their HR concerns and information needs, as well as to develop their role as managers of people. The review of the general service category resulted in the development of new job profiles that recognize the new mix of skills required in the continually changing technological environment of the Organization. A competency development and assessment project for managerial level staff was initiated by the three Rome-based agencies with extra-budgetary support. Contractual arrangements for non-staff human resources were streamlined and simplified to provide greater flexibility, in particular for project-type assignments of longer duration. At the same time the core staffing of the Organization remained at essentially the same level as the previous biennium.
123. Progress continued on the development of a performance management system that links the organizational planning process and programme outcomes to the work plans of and results achieved by individual staff members. In this context the Organization continued to participate in and monitor the work of the ICSC review of pay and benefits, in particular, as pay-for-performance within a broad-banded salary structure is a key component of the pilot studies to be undertaken in the review.
124. The FAO Conference approved changes in the geographic distribution methodology to permit greater flexibility in the appointment of staff to improve gender and geographic balance. Efforts were also made to identify specific posts to be filled by young professionals.
125. The thrust of the strategy as set out in the MTP 2002-07 was to
126. During the 2002-03 biennium, more than US$ 300 million was mobilized for supporting FAO’s non-emergency technical assistance, in response to requests from Members. This was about the same as the previous biennia (i.e. US$ 309 million in 2000-01 and US$ 310 million in 2002-03). However, total approvals in 2003 (i.e. US$ 209 million) were approximately 10% higher that the average yearly amount mobilized between 1998 and 2003.
127. External resource mobilization for FAO’s emergency interventions over the 2002-03 biennium resulted in an actual delivery of approximately US$ 310 million. Most of the funds provided represent voluntary contributions and the major recipient was Iraq through the Oil-for-Food Programme with over US$ 198 million in 2002-03, followed by Afghanistan, Angola, Congo (DRC), Sudan and Zambia.
128. In addition to the field programme, financial support was made available by multilateral and bilateral funding sources for projects with a relatively high normative content in direct support of the Regular Programme of Work. While there continues to be strong donor support for FAO’s activities at country and inter-regional/regional level, donors are increasingly interested in the Organization’s normative work and in the added value of their financial support to such activities in the context of broader development initiatives at country level.
129. To improve conditions and enabling mechanisms for an increasing the flow of extra-budgetary resources, an assessment was carried out of the effective demand for FAO services as reflected in country needs for technical assistance and taking into account the Organization’s comparative advantages in the various fields. As a result, new modalities of multi-bilateral cooperation have been developed, procedures streamlined and new sources of funding explored. One of the new modalities of multi-bilateral cooperation is the “Strategic Partnership Agreement”. During the biennium, agreements of this nature were concluded with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Norway, while negotiations were started with Sweden and Denmark. Important aspects of these agreements include: strategic focus on FAO’s Strategic Framework and medium-term objectives, inter-sectoral and inter-departmental cooperation, inter-agency collaboration and a high degree of flexibility with regard to fund allocation to specific partnership activities. In addition, a National Execution Modality (NEX) was elaborated and became operational in several countries. The NEX modality is particularly applicable for nationally-funded UTF projects, especially in the framework of the SPFS programme, in which the Organization’s involvement is mainly in project formulation and the provision of technical advice.
130. With regard to contributions to FAO’s normative work, processes for small amounts in support of Regular Programme activities were streamlined in order to facilitate direct involvement of the technical units concerned in the negotiation and rapid conclusion of agreements. A more systematic preparation and utilization of donor “profiles” was also developed. The profiles provide the technical units concerned with information about thematic and geographic policies and priorities of potential funding sources. The quality of project proposals was improved through systematic analysis of lessons learned during project implementation. Important initiatives have included the new annotated format for Trust Fund project formulation and the Project Cycle Overview Course.
131. The Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS) was expanded to include (i) access to statistical and analytical information on pipeline, ongoing and closed projects; (ii) Oracle Data Warehouse reports on financial performance; (iii) information on project inventories; (iv) key documents relating to the project cycle (project documents, mission reports, revisions, progress reports, etc.); (v) tools to identify poorly performing projects; (vi) e-mail alerts based upon agreed criteria; and (vii) facilities to produce rapidly consolidated country briefs. FPMIS was also expanded to include other field project databases such as those concerning TCP projects, SPFS projects and TeleFood funded small scale projects.
132. The multiplier effect of FAO’s programmes is illustrated by the work of the Investment Centre (reported under Major Programme 3.2) which, in collaboration with the World Bank, led to investments in agriculture totalling over US$ 3.7 billion. In addition, the Global Trust Fund for Food Security and Food Safety attracted contributions from donors, including Italy, the Netherlands, Libya and Saudi Arabia. The resource mobilization effort has been supported by communication of the outcomes of FAO’s development services to Members and other stakeholders, including public and private sector recipients and donors at all levels.
133. The strategy concentrates on
134. During 2002-03 guidance in the implementation of this strategy was primarily provided through the Corporate Communication Committee (CCC), under the Chairmanship of the Deputy Director-General.
135. Internal communication was facilitated by the development, launching and support of the new FAO Intranet and Extranet which, by the end of 2003, was accessible to staff in headquarters, all Regional and Subregional Offices, as well as 63 FAO Representations and three Liaison Offices. In addition, a suite of communication skills training workshops (including presentation skills, facilitation skills, media skills and meeting skills) were developed. These workshops allowed for improved communication delivery, participatory planning and decision making and a decentralized implementation of FAO's Corporate Communication Policy and Strategy. More than 500 staff members participated in these workshops.
136. Significant attention was focused on the communication planning process. A Guidance Note, approved by the CCC, was used as the basis for expanding communication planning processes. Departmental communication plans, considering key target audiences, appropriate vehicles and external opportunities were developed, consolidated into a corporate plan and calendar and formally adopted by the CCC. Special strategic communication efforts were mounted for programmes funded through extra-budgetary contributions, particularly the FAO/ Netherlands Partnership Programme. The successful series of bimonthly presentations to Permanent Representatives continued to provide information on priority programmes and activities to this key target audience.
137. A dynamic Newsroom page on the FAO Web site was launched to disseminate news about the Organization more widely in all official languages. The overall impact of FAO's media relations was significant, as evidenced by the increasing volume of media coverage in local and international print media. World Food Day celebrations and WFD Special Events/TeleFood activities were increased significantly during the biennium through inter-departmental task forces, cross-organizational involvement in, and support to, public outreach activities. A Round Table of FAO Ambassadors, convened in Rome on 15 October 2003, facilitated renewed individual and joint commitments by the Ambassadors.
2 Or "New Programme Model" as originally described in the Strategic Framework and repeated in the MTP 2002-07
