Priority areas
The EU and FAO foster global food security and safety and help promote sustainable rural development and natural resources management.
Collaboration between FAO and the EU contributes to the achievement of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), particularly MDG 1 of reducing by half the proportion of people suffering from hunger by 2015.
The partnership covers the following areas of cooperation:
Achieving food security for all is at the heart of FAO's efforts and a pillar of the EU’s approach to poverty reduction, to make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
- Sustainable rural development
In order to tackle poverty in rural areas, home to 70 percent of the world's hungry people, FAO and the EU acknowledge the crucial importance of developing rural economies and, first and foremost, their backbone agriculture.
Avian flu and foot-and-mouth disease have heightened public awareness of food safety issues. Food safety is as important for consumers as it is for producers. FAO and EU approach it through the whole food chain, fostering international trade while safeguarding quality.
- Natural resources management
Climate change has reminded the world of the extreme vulnerability of its natural resources. FAO and EU seek to contribute to the sustainable management of our land and our water resources and to stimulate agricultural biodiversity.
- Statistical cooperation and information exchange
Reliable and comprehensive data are essential for shaping sound policies. The EU and FAO share an interest in agricultural statistics, with a special emphasis on developing countries.
