Provide Information
FAO works to put information within reach. We use the expertise of our staff - agronomists, foresters, fisheries and livestock specialists, nutritionists, social scientists, economists, statisticians and other professionals - to collect, analyse and disseminate data that aid development. We also publish hundreds of newsletters, reports and books, distribute several magazines, create numerous CD-ROMS and host dozens of electronic fora.

Draft Policies
FAO aims to share policy expertise. It lends its years of experience to member countries in devising agricultural policy, supporting planning, drafting effective legislation and creating national strategies to achieve rural development and hunger alleviation goals.

Act as a Fora
FAO provides a meeting place for nations. As a neutral forum, FAO provides the setting where rich and poor nations can come together to build common understanding.

Share Knowledge
FAO aims to bring knowledge to the field. FAO mobilizes and manages millions of dollars provided by industrialized countries, development banks and other sources to make sure the projects achieve their goals. In crisis situations, we work side-by-side with the World Food Programme and other humanitarian agencies to protect rural livelihoods and help people rebuild their lives.

FAO is an intergovernmental organization with 191 Member Nations, two associate members and one member organization, the European Union.

Offices
Besides its headquarters in Rome, FAO is present in over 130 countries. The decentralized network includes 5 regional offices, 11 sub regional offices, 1 multidisciplinary team, 74 fully fledged country offices (excluding those hosted in regional and sub-regional offices), 8 offices with technical officers/FAO Representatives, and 36 countries covered through multiple accreditation. In addition, the Organization maintains five liaison offices and four information offices in developed countries.

Staff
FAO employs more than 1800 professional staff (including Associate Professional Officers and National Professional Officers) and over 1800 support staff. Figures only refer to staff holding fixed term and continuing appointments. Over the past, the proportion of women in the professional staff category has more than doubled, from 16 percent to 35 percent. 

Departments
FAO is composed of seven departments: Agriculture and Consumer Protection; Economic and Social Development; Fisheries and Aquaculture; Forestry; Corporate Services, Human Resources and Finance; Natural Resources Management and Environment; and Technical Cooperation.

FAO in the field
FAO programmes have two main funding sources: assessed contributions funded by FAO Member Nations, and voluntary contributions received from multilateral and bilateral resource partners, including IFIs, other UN system Organizations, Funds and Programmes. Government cooperative programs provide the largest amount of project funding for the 2500+ projects implemented each year.  For more details including specific project information and a breakdown of funding, please click here.

For a brief history of FAO, please click here.