 |
|
|
|
|
| Policy Assistance :: Regional Role |
|
|
Using its wealth of expertise and experience, FAO advises countries
on appropriate policies to strengthen their agricultural and rural sectors to make the
region food-secure for present and future generations. Sector and subsector reviews and
analyses of selected policy issues are conducted to assist countries in formulating
policies and programmes for sustainable food security and agricultural and rural
development. In consultation with government officials, development partners and
non-governmental and civil society organizations, it identifies areas requiring FAO technical assistance.
In a region where the main agricultural activity is carried out by small and marginal
producers who are also the most food-insecure, much of FAO's policy advice is concerned
with enabling small rural producers to unleash their full productive capacities.
Policy support includes assistance in developing national capacities in the field of
policy analysis and formulation.
A major priority is to strengthen national capacities in developing member countries
to negotiate favourable terms in the World Trade Organization (WTO) talks on the liberalization of agricultural
trade. FAO is working to strengthen the capacity of relevant government ministries,
the private sector and academic institutions to deal with agricultural trade policy
and legal issues including, inter alia, the Codex Alimentarius, animal and crop health and intellectual property rights.
Policy assistance
The objectives underscore the provision of technical support for the development
of agricultural policy, strategies, action plans and field programmes for sustainable
agricultural growth and development to reduce poverty and enhance food security at the
household level. Member countries are assisted in the formulation of their poverty
reduction strategies; localization of Millennium Development Goals for the eradication
of extreme poverty and hunger; capacity building for the Doha Round of trade
negotiations; and policy reforms for integration into regional economic organizations.
Project development
FAO is supporting Asia-Pacific countries in the fight against hunger and poverty
by mobilizing grant funding for sustainable agriculture and rural development,
including fisheries and forestry.
This is achieved through: continuous assessment of FAO's services and surveys of
demands by countries and development partners for technical assistance in the various
fields of FAO's mandate; the preparation of programmes for funding by donors; and the
systematic analysis of lessons learned from FAO's activities and those of other
institutions and translating them into effective tools for project formulation.
Comprehensive, transparent and attractive funding modalities are adapted to
each type of funding source, and sound and efficient management
of resources and projects is promoted.
The FAO regional office is at the forefront of advocacy efforts
to mobilize public opinion and political will for agriculture, rural development and
food security.
Resource mobilization
The Asia-Pacific Service of the Investment Centre at FAO headquarters
continues its strong collaboration with its longstanding partner financial
agencies (the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the International Fund for Agricultural
Development) to mobilize investments for agriculture and rural
development. Activities target the identification, preparation,
supervision and evaluation of investment projects in irrigation and
water resource development, rural infrastructure, tree crops and forestry
development, research and technology, and crop diversification. |
| |
|
