17 September 2013, Rome - Grameen Foundation and FAO will work closely to enhance small-holder farmer access to knowledge and technologies for sustainable production and food security through the use of mobile agriculture supported services.

The two organizations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) also aimed at improving farming innovation exchange, strengthening small-holder households to gain better access to agricultural and rural financial services and competitive value chains. Both organizations agreed that this is a great step forward in their efforts to improve food security.

During his visit to FAO headquarters, Alex Counts, Chief Executive Officer and President of Grameen Foundation, highlighted FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva's success in Brazil and showed his interest in learning from FAO's experience.

The purpose of the MoU is to provide a framework for collaboration between FAO and Grameen Foundation in support of poor small-scale agricultural producers in developing countries which will be developed jointly. Grameen Foundation has a common global interest in helping the poor to better manage their crops, livestock and finances through income-generating strategies aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty.

FAO and Grameen Foundation have been collaborating since 2011, when both organizations signed a Content License Agreement allowing Grameen Foundation access to the information of the Technologies for Agriculture (TECA) database. The FAO database contains details of proven technologies in agriculture, livestock, fisheries and forestry addressing food security, climate change, poverty alleviation and sustainable development.