A Neutral Forum

International cooperation is essential for meeting global, regional and national development goals. Shared resources and responsibilities require coordinated management strategies.

FAO's role as a neutral forum is closely tied to its work as an adviser to governments. Five specialist committees - on commodities, fisheries, forestry, agriculture and world food security - advise the FAO interim governing body, the Council, o n current trends and suggest practical management strategies in their fields of expertise.

The Council, in turn, reports to the FAO Conference, the Organization's supreme governing body. Through the Conference, Member Nations contribute to debate and participate in policy formulation of major food and agriculture issues. Member Natio ns meeting at the Council commit themselves to supporting developmental initiatives, such as the World Food Security Compact and the International Code of Conduct on the Distribution and Use of Pesticides.

FAO convenes top-level international conferences covering areas of particular concern. In the past, conferences have included the World Food Conference, the World Conference on Agrarian Reform and Rural Development and the World Conference on F isheries Development and Management. The Organization also hosts regular technical meetings on topics ranging from specific commodities to biodiversity.

Focusing on nutrition, FAO joined with the World Health Organization in setting up the December 1992 International Conference on Nutrition to re-awaken global awareness of the most basic human needs and to ensure that all people have access to the food they need for a healthy, productive life.

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