Over 240 civil society representatives hailing from 175 countries across the world met today at FAO headquarters to begin their annual CSM Forum. During the next two days, these representatives will work to find consensus on key issues to be discussed in next week’s plenary meeting of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS).  “Social movements and civil society organizations played a key role in driving the reform of the Committee on World Food Security to make it into the main and most inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for policymaking on food security and nutrition within the United Nations,” Graziano da...

FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva and General Coordinator of La Via Campesina  Elizabeth Mpofu  today formalized an institutional framework for the relationship between the two organizations and defined proposals of collaboration in areas of common interest.The agreement marks a milestone in the relationship between FAO and civil society organizations, as La Via Campesina is the movement that brings together the largest number of small food producers on the planet. The agreement, concluded within the framework of a meeting at FAO headquarters in Rome, is part of the new FAO Strategy for Partnerships with Civil Society Organizations. This...

  During his recent visit to Latin America, José Graziano da Silva signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Fundação Banco do Brasil (FBB) . This new partnership utilizes both entities’ knowledge and skills, resulting in an innovative approach to end hunger.   Fundação Banco do Brasil has an approach to development that uses Tecnologias Sociais (Social Technologies) for development. They have certified 504 of them, all of which are readily available for use off of their website as a Banco de Tecnologias Sociais (BTS). These social technologies are being translated into other languages as well.     The approach to the partnership will be as follows: FBB will mediate...

  Marcela Villarreal, Directora de la Oficina de Asociaciones, Género, Actividades de Promoción y Creación de Capacidad de la FAO, visitó las instalaciones de la Universidad "La Salle" Beauveais en Francia para firmar este acuerdo. Gracias al mismo, los estudiantes de esta universidad politécnica especializada en la formación agrícola podrán seguir algunos de los cursos en línea diseñados por la FAO en materias como seguridad alimentaria, género,  Asimismo, las dos entidades colaborarán en la redacción de proyectos y en la movilización conjunta de recursos. El fortalecimiento de capacidad es un elemento central del mandato de la FAO. Uno de los programas clave...

The Rabobank Foundation and FAO will share knowledge, innovation and financial resources in Africa in a broad strategy to make a difference in the lives of small-holder farmers and the rural poor.An agreement signed at FAO headquarters, involving our FAO decentralized offices, sets out how the organizations will work together on development projects in Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania. The projects will improve the income of small-holder farmers through support to small rural businesses, as well as through the identification of productive, competitive and sustainable agri-businesses along the whole value chain. Director-General José Graziano da Silva said...