OECD-FAO Advisory Group (AG) on Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains

The OECD-FAO Advisory Group (AG) on Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains is an informal multi-stakeholder group of over 50 experts from governments, multinational enterprises, small and medium sized enterprises, business associations, investors, multi-stakeholder initiatives, auditing firms, standards and certification groups, international organizations, trade unions, civil society organizations and academia. Participation in the AG, including from FAO Members, is voluntary and driven by their interest in addressing sustainability in agricultural supply chains.

The AG meets three times annually to discuss global challenges and solutions concerning responsible business conduct (RBC) and the uptake of the OECD-FAO Guidance for Responsible Agricultural Supply Chains. The expertise of AG members is leveraged through dialogue and discussion on pre-identified topics for each meeting. Examples of discussion topics in AG meetings include the use of technology to reduce adverse developmental impacts in global production and trade, sustainability-driven legislation on risk-based due diligence, and salient thematic issues in commodity sourcing including deforestation and child labour.

The AG applies an informal governance structure to aid dialogue and cooperation among members. At present, the Kingdom of the Netherlands is the Chair of the Advisory Group, supported by three co-Chairs, the Food and Land Use Coalition of the World Resources Institute (WRI), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD).

The AG developed from a multi stakeholder advisory group established to guide the drafting of the OECD-FAO Guidance. Since its launch, the Guidance has received widespread government and enterprise support, including endorsement by 64 Agricultural Ministers at the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture in 2023.

As part of its activities on Global Value Chains and RBC in Agriculture, FAO works with governments, businesses and other stakeholders to advance technical support and awareness concerning global sourcing and developmental impacts related to business and trade.