Since 1988, FAO has been responding to the impact of HIV and AIDS on food security, agriculture and rural livelihoods and has been at the forefront of analytical and policy-oriented work to examine and address these linkages, highlighting the importance of the epidemic as not only a health problem but also a major issue for agriculture and rural livelihoods.

While FAO continues to work on HIV and AIDS in a number of technical areas, primarily at country and regional levels, the growing body of evidence indicating that the epidemic has entered a post-peak phase, characterized by an overall decline in new infections, fewer AIDS-related deaths, and by a large number of adjustment mechanisms developed by affected communities and households. FAO is aware that at this stage of the epidemic’s evolution, prevention and mitigation work can be more effectively managed by better resourced sister agencies in the UN system.

FAO’s work on HIV and AIDS over the past decades focused on studying the impact of HIV and AIDS on agriculture, food security, nutrition and farming systems and on supporting member countries to prevent the worsening of the spread of the epidemic and to mitigate its effects on rural food and nutrition security through a concerted response from the agricultural sector. The organization also incorporated HIV and AIDS into all its programmes: All technical departments, as well as some regional and sub-regional offices, developed relevant activities in their own areas of work. The main activities carried out by the organization under the HIV and AIDS and food security programme included:

• Knowledge generation – FAO recognized the need to study the impact of HIV on agriculture, food security, nutrition and farming systems in order to contribute to a better understanding of these interactions and the implications for agriculture and rural development. Since the late 1980s, the Organization has carried out normative work in this area, leading to the publication of numerous papers, articles, fact sheets, policy briefs and research and meeting reports.
• Policy and programme support – FAO supported policy makers and programme planners to incorporate HIV, malaria and other disease considerations into food, nutrition and agriculture policies and programmes. For example, FAO has supported the development of Agriculture sector AIDS policies and strategies in several countries – namely Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
• Capacity development – FAO supported capacity enhancement for the agriculture sector to respond to HIV, and promoted livelihoods of rural populations by supporting knowledge and skills enhancement within the context of food and nutrition security and agricultural livelihoods. In this regard, FAO has carried out trainings and has developed various manuals, toolkits and guides.
• Advocacy – FAO promoted awareness among key actors in the food and agriculture sector on the impacts of HIV on food security and agriculture, while advocating for multisectoral responses to the epidemic. FAO has held communication campaigns and organized meetings on such issues as prevention, the importance of nutrition, securing the rights of children orphaned and women widowed by AIDS, among others.

Many FAO divisions still carry out work on HIV and AIDS. This work includes:

• Nutrition-based interventions through FAO’s Agriculture and Consumer Protection Department. FAO recognizes that good nutrition boosts the immune system, prolongs the progression of HIV to full-blown AIDS, is necessary for the effectiveness of medication (especially anti-retroviral drugs), and can help the body fight off some diseases and quicken recovery periods. FAO provides technical support to governments, organizations and communities to enhance people’s access to adequate and nutritious food and to provide nutritional care and support. Specific interventions include school and home gardens, nutrition rehabilitation units (NRU), nutrition support for people living with HIV and affected communities, training, as well as the development of nutrition manuals within the context of HIV. FAO has documented successful activities carried out at local level by FAO as well as other organizations to support and enhance the food security, nutrition and livelihoods of vulnerable households.
• Labour-saving technologies and practices and conservation agriculture through FAO's Technologies and practices for small agricultural producers group  – FAO identifies and supports opportunities to relieve the burden of labour shortages resulting both from illness itself and in caring for sick family members by creating awareness and promoting farming concepts and practices that reduce time and drudgery required to carry out farm operations.
• Skills building and empowerment of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) – FAO is committed to building the knowledge and skills of orphans and OVCs whose parents could not pass on the necessary agricultural knowledge before dying of AIDS. This area of work is largely carried out through the Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools (JFFLS) programme, which trains vulnerable children from 12-18 years of age on issues ranging from land preparation to harvesting, nutrition and medicinal plants and life skills development.
• Emergencies and rehabilitation – FAO has been involved in mobilizing and executing emergency interventions and early rehabilitation projects in the agriculture and rural sectors. Main activities in this area include: provision of appropriate inputs; relief to vulnerable households to restore priority assets; and provision of tools, equipment and good agricultural practices to overcome labour shortages.
• Fishing communities – FAO assists fishing communities to enhance their livelihoods by strengthening human and social capital and developing an appropriate political and institutional environment. Through the Sustainable Fisheries and Livelihoods Programme (SFLP), FAO has been engaged in awareness-raising on the need to improve access to health services and ensuring fisherfolk at risk are included in national malaria and HIV prevention, treatment and mitigation programmes. Stemming from this work, FAO has developed policy briefs and publications related to the fisheries sector’s response to AIDS.
• Field projects – FAO uses a mix of interventions, including food provision, labour and time-saving technologies and microfinance to help support food production, diversification and income-generation, as well as to address stigma and discrimination, among HIV-affected households and communities.