FAO has a long history of cooperation with civil society based on direct relations with cooperatives, trade unions, and organizations of farmers, fisherfolk, consumers, rural women and youth.

Although FAO started working with International Non-Governmental Organizations shortly after its creation in the late 1940s, it greatly strengthened overall collaboration with CSOs during the Freedom from Hunger Campaign (FFHC) from the 1960s to the early 1980s. The FFHC promoted national non-governmental platforms, regional alliances and international networks concerned with food and agriculture.

The World Food Summit in 1996 brought renewed energy to FAO's outreach to Civil Society, with CSOs playing a prominent role. About 500 organizations attended the Summit, while a parallel non-governmental organization (NGO) Forum brought together 1 300 representatives from 80 countries.

These consultations stimulated national, regional and global networking on food security which has continued as an essential element of the follow-up to the World Food Summit. Concepts and initiatives first articulated for a general audience at the NGO Forum - such as food sovereignty and the code of conduct on the right to food - have progressively gained international recognition. These developments complemented changes in the UN system as a whole, which has moved towards more inclusive consideration of non-state actors in global governance.

In late 1999, FAO's Policy and Strategy for Cooperation with NGOs and other CSOs provided an overview of trends in civil society and was used as a basis to reinvigorate relations.

Since late-2000, a network of CSOs has been cooperating with FAO helping with preparations for the World Food Summit:five years later through the International NGO/CSO Planning Committee for Food Sovereignty (IPC).

Civil society involvement has become a strategic part of FAO-promoted activities at country level: from emergency work to field activities like the Special Programme for Food Security (SPFS) and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) to regular events like World Food Day and initiatives including the National Alliances against Hunger.