ESA is the focal point for FAO's economic research and policy analysis for world food security and sustainable development. ESA has established core, cross-cutting themes for research and analysis. The themes have been chosen because of their central role in policy making for sustainable development and food security.

Food security is the over-riding concern of the Division, and of the Organization as a whole, and ESA has focussed on four complementary issues which impact on food security and food systems. These are the persistence of poverty and food insecurity in the developing world; making markets work for the poor; sustainable management of natural resources; and food security in crisis and emergency situations.