The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has embraced South-South and triangular cooperation (SSTC) as a key delivery modality to catalyse agricultural development, food security, rural development, poverty reduction and nutrition over the past two decades. FAO has strengthened its support for SSTC since 2012, and the SSTC portfolio has been expanding in line with the progressive institutionalization of SSTC in FAO.

The main objective of the new SSTC Guidelines for Action is to develop a results-focused vision and structure, providing strategic direction for FAO’s SSTC programme and strengthening FAO’s position as global advocate, convener, broker, facilitator and enabler of SSTC in the area of agri-food systems. 

Based on the progress made and lessons learned so far, the guidelines outline a new and more programmatic, focused, result-based, systematic, quality-assured approach to mainstream SSTC in FAO. Strategic results of FAO work in 2022-2025 revolve around four strategic areas of focus: Advocacy/agenda setting; knowledge brokering; partnerships and collaborations; as well as evidence-based adaptive learning. In addition to the strategic results, key thematic focus areas include the Hand-in-Hand-Initiative (HIHI), Agricultural Innovation, Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and COVID-19 Recovery and Response, among others.

Close collaboration with countries and regions as well as with FAO streams/offices/centers is central to the guidelines, which emphasize PST’s service-based and demand-driven approach and the role of countries and regions in operationalizing SSTC in FAO. There is a strong emphasis on supporting internal and external partners in FAO SSTC initiatives from an increasingly programmatic perspective.

The SSTC Guidelines for Action will remain a living document to enable consultation across the board, as well as potential synergies with the emerging Programme Priority Areas (PPAs) and the Regional Technical Platforms (RTPs). This Guidelines are to be considered fully embedded in FAO’s overall corporate change process.

A set of accompanying documents are being developed to facilitate the understanding of the valued added of SSTC as a form of technical assistance, and to facilitate the design, implementation and monitoring of SSTC initiatives and projects. 

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