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FAO Agricultural and Development Economics Division

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  About ESA

The Agricultural Development Economics Division (ESA) is the focal point for FAO's economic research and policy analysis for food security and sustainable development. It focuses on analysis of agricultural and rural development programmes and projects and produces studies on agriculture in the overall economic development process, poverty reduction, comparing agricultural development at country and regional levels, and on the situation and trends of world food security. The Division publishes The State of Food and Agriculture, one of FAO's flagship publications.

ESAD: Office of the Director
ESAD is the coordinating and liaison body of ESA. It exercises overall management and budgetary responsibility, coordinates the planning of the Division's programme of work and ensures its technical quality and implementation at HQ and the decentralized offices.

ESAD also identifies programmes and projects and provides specialized support to FAO's Technical Cooperation Department (TC), to the World Food Programme (WFP) and to governmental policy makers in collaboration with the FAO Policy Assistance Division (TCA) and regional policy assistance groups.

ESAC: Comparative Agricultural Development Service
ESAC analyzes the trends and prospects for agricultural and rural development at global, regional and country levels. The service conducts research and analysis of development experiences with a focus on policies underlying economic and agricultural performance.

ESAC prepares regular reports on the state of food and agriculture to FAO governing bodies and FAO Members. It provides substantive support to other technical units in FAO, including TC, for the integration of trends and prospects to agricultural and rural development policies and programmes.

ESAE: Agricultural Sector in Economic Development Service
ESAE conducts economic research and policy analysis on a number of economic development issues, including the role of agriculture and non-farm activities in rural development and hunger and poverty alleviation; the linkages between natural resource management and poverty; the economic cost of hunger; safety nets and the relationship between poverty and food security.

The work of the Service provides an input to various international meetings, conventions and multilateral agreements and supports FAO's effort to promote an enhanced role for agriculture and the rural space in economic development, food security and poverty alleviation. ESAE maintains close collaboration with other divisions within FAO and contributes to flagship publications and reports; liaises with academic and research institutions and with international development organizations, and represents FAO in professional meetings and conferences related to the Service's mandate.

ESAF: Food Security and Agricultural Projects Analysis Service
ESAF analyses food security and food aid policies, provides secretariat services for the Committee on World Food Security, identifies vulnerable populations, designs food security information systems, and formulates disaster and drought preparedness plans and food stock management procedures.

The Service also develops methodologies and guidelines to improve the integration of concepts related to social welfare, environment, sustainability, and nutrition in projects and policies. ESAF maintains professional contact with other organizations and academic institutions working on food security and represents FAO in meetings related to the Service's mandate.

Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems (FIVIMS)

Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems ( FIVIMS) are networks of national information systems that assemble, analyse and disseminate data on food insecurity and vulnerability.


Right to Food Unit

The Right to Food Unit supports the implementation of the human right to adequate food, using FAO’s Right to Food Guidelines. It develops methods and instruments to assist stakeholders in the implementation of the right to food and information and training materials to raise awareness and understanding by rights holders, duty bearers, civil society and the general public and supports initial national implementation of the right to food at national level. The Right to Food Unit also works towards integrating the right to food into FAO's work.