FAO works closely with many types of civil society and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

We hear you asking, “Civil society organization? What’s that?”

Fair question. Here’s the answer:

Civil society organizations and NGOs are groups that are not part of any government. They include:

• community groups
• non-governmental organizations
• labour unions
• indigenous peoples' organizations
• charitable organizations
• faith-based organizations
• professional associations and
• foundations.

Many of these organizations play an extremely important role in the fight against hunger. They often have very knowledgeable field staff who work closely with vulnerable and neglected groups. FAO works with NGOs and civil society organizations to make sure that its field projects and programmes have a real impact on local communities.

Major international non-governmental organizations like Oxfam, Amnesty International and the World Wildlife Fund have also been very successful in getting people to focus on issues of social justice, poverty and the environment.

They don’t have to be diplomatic

Their success at campaigning is partly because they aren’t government organizations. They can take positions that are openly critical of governments. They don’t have to be diplomatic.

FAO, on the other hand, must be diplomatic. Remember, its purpose is to serve its Member Nations. FAO wasn’t established to tell the governments of these nations what to do. They tell FAO what to do! If there are disagreements among Member Nations, FAO as a neutral forum can help work out an acceptable compromise.

People with a strong position on a certain issue are sometimes frustrated by these compromises. Many think that “compromise” is just another word for ”selling out”. But that’s not the case.

Social and political activism has a major role to play in the fight against hunger. Many civil society organizations attend FAO committees, commissions, technical meetings and regional conferences.