Do you have a manual which assists NGOs to prepare sustainable development projects?

There is no manual specifically developed for Civil Society Organizations, but there are useful guides in FAO rooted in a wealth of accumulated experience and lessons learned in partnerships worldwide. Here are a few examples:

A field guide for project design and implementation - Women in community forestry

Guidelines for Participatory Nutrition Projects

Participatory Development: Guidelines on Beneficiary Participation in Agricultural and Rural Development

Peoples Participation Programme in Rural Development in the Philippines: FAO’s Partnership with NGOs in Project Formulation

Whom can I contact if I have a question about:

• irrigation - Work on irrigation, water control, institutional and policy issues is concentrated in the Water Resources, Development and Management Service of the FAO Agriculture Department;
• cash crops - This is a large and complex topic, with many kinds of crops destined for market and local, national, regional and global trade. A good place to start is at the Crop and Grassland Service of the FAO Agriculture Department;
• livestock - The entire field of issues regarding livestock, meat and disease is covered by the Animal Production and Health Division of the FAO Agriculture Department;
• non-wood forest products - This topic is the focus of a multidisciplinary programme led by the FAO Forestry Department with a newsletter, publications and connections to a range of initiatives and projects;

What kinds of partnerships does FAO have with private sector as compared to other categories of civil society?

Individual companies, agri-businesses or other parts of the private sector working in the fields of food and agriculture, including fisheries and forestry, can have specific relations with FAO on agreed terms and following a screening process (see the FAO “Private Sector” web page). However, such organizations do not participate directly in FAO’s governing bodies and technical committees.

Private sector perspectives are represented through company and industry associations as well as producers’ organizations. For example, CropLife International for the plant science industry the International Association of Horticultural Producers for flowers, plants and landscaping services and the International Fertilizer Industry Association for companies in the production and distribution of every type of fertilizer, their raw materials and intermediates have formal status at FAO and represent their respective constituencies.