The Integrated Support to Sustainable Development and Food Security Programme (IP) was funded by the Governments of Norway and Finland and worked to enhance sustainable development and food security by promoting interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration for improved planning and delivery of rural and agricultural development services within FAO and in partner countries.

The IP focused on the cross-sectoral issues of environment, gender, HIV and AIDS, rural youth and information by supporting policy support, training, capacity building and awareness raising, as well as data collection, research and information management. Its objectives included to better include key stakeholders in the development process; address the socio-economic and technical constraints that each country faces in carrying out their development plans; promote cross-sectoral and integrated methods for promoting development; and bring together relevant expertise across the spectrum of specialized development agencies and organizations.

The programme was comprised of two phases. During Phase I, which ran from 1998 to 2002, 27 project activities were implemented in Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Namibia in partnership with more than 70 organizations. These projects focused on farm animal genetic resources, socio-economic and gender analysis, farm household resource management, gender disaggregated data, agricultural research, extension, natural resources, environmental information systems, and communication for development.

In Phase-II, the IP focused on HIV and AIDS and its impact on agricultural productions, food security and household resource management.