Strong, effective and inclusive rural institutions are essential for poverty reduction, economic development and the empowerment of small producers and the rural poor. Among the many institutions that are critical for improving agricultural profitability and sustainability, producers’ organizations, women’s groups, and other membership based organizations, as well as public, private and mixed service providers that operate in rural areas (i.e. extension services, trader associations, phytosanitary and human and animal health services, micro- finance organizations, etc.) have a particularly important role to play. FAO works to encourage governments, civil society, and the private sector, as well as other international organizations, finance institutions and development agencies to involve, support and work more effectively with and through rural institutions, and particularly rural people’s organizations, in the areas of their specific mandates.

As focal point for institution building and Chair of FAO’s Inter Departmental Working Group (IDWG) and Inter Departmental Committee (IDC) on Institution Building for Agriculture and Rural Development, the Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division (ESW) helps to coordinate and report on the cross-departmental work of over 20 technical units engaged in strengthening rural institutions. The IDWG/IDC helps to identify and overcome strategic challenges related to institution building, including within the context of FAO’s Initiative on Soaring Food Prices and national programmes of food security. The group identifies and promotes institution building good practices across sectors, and works to strengthen existing and new partnerships that support producer organizations and other rural institutions. The IDWG/IDC also helps to collect and disseminate, FAO learning resources related to institution building and producer organization capacity development through FAO’s Capacity Building Portal.  

Also as focal point, the Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division represents FAO’s work on institution building in meetings and events, including in the inter-agency Committee for the Promotion and Advancement of Cooperatives (COPAC). The latest FAO report to COPAC can be downloaded here. Some of FAO’s recent messages for the International Day of Cooperatives can be found.

The Gender, Equity and Rural Employment Division focuses its own policy and technical assistance related to institution building on supporting government and partner efforts to create an enabling environments for more inclusive and equitable institutions and organizations serving small producers. The Division also provides technical support to a very limited number of programmes and partnerships that work with and through small producer organizations to promote gender equality, equity and rural employment. The Division advocates for rural participation in policy processes and the use of participatory approaches to ensure more effective, inclusive and sustainable agriculture and rural development policies and programmes that build upon the knowledge, capacities, and institutions already existing in rural areas.

Selected materials on FAO’s Institution Building work can also be found through FAO’s Sustainable Development Web Site on Institution Building.