Director-General addresses Joint Meeting of FAO Programme and Finance Committees

Rome – The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, has called for greater ambition, innovation and partnership to transform global agrifood systems amid mounting pressures on food security and constrained financial resources.

“Never before has it been more important to do more and better with less,” the Director-General said in a video message to the Joint Meeting of the FAO Programme and Finance Committees, delivered while attending the United Nations Chief Executives Board (CEB) meeting in Tokyo.

“The task before us is to chart a course that balances ambition with realism, innovation with fiscal prudence, and global reach with local impact,” he added.

The Director-General addressed the joint session convened to review FAO’s Programme of Work and Budget (PWB) 2026–27 and broader programmatic and financial priorities for the Organization. He underscored that the PWB provides a roadmap for operationalizing FAO’s mandate under the Strategic Framework 2022–31, with the transformation of global agrifood systems and the achievement of the Four Betters – better production; better nutrition; better environment; and a better life, leaving no one behind -  remaining at the core of the Organization’s work.

Resilience, innovation and investment

Qu identified increasing resilience as the Organization’s most urgent programmatic priority, recalling the consensus reached at the FAO Council’s 180th Special Session in April that peace and stability are prerequisites for food security and that the right to food is a basic human right.

He welcomed Member support for FAO’s continued assessment of disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and their implications for global food security, as well as for technical assistance aimed at strengthening resilient agrifood systems, particularly in food-importing countries and vulnerable regions.

The Director-General also highlighted the growing role of Members as providers of expertise, technology, innovation and financing solutions, noting the increasing importance of South-South and Triangular Cooperation as more countries move from Least Developed Country status.

Accelerating science-based innovation and digital transformation across agrifood systems was identified as another major priority. Qu stressed the importance of ensuring that technological advances are accessible, affordable and appropriate for smallholders, who account for the majority of agricultural producers in many regions. He pointed to initiatives such as Digital Villages and the One Country One Priority Product initiative as examples of innovation at scale.

As a third, cross-cutting priority, the Director-General emphasized the importance of mobilizing investment and finance for agrifood systems transformation through improved investment readiness, blended finance approaches and stronger public-private partnerships to de-risk agricultural investments.

“Our Hand-in-Hand Initiative remains the flagship platform for matching country-owned investment plans with partner resources,” Qu said, highlighting the Pacific Small Island Developing States (SIDS) Investment Proposal as a model for scaling country-led priorities into bankable opportunities.

Regional priorities and global challenges

The Director-General noted that discussions during FAO’s regional ministerial conferences this year revealed a common understanding of the major forces shaping agrifood systems, including geopolitical fragmentation, climate and environmental pressures, demographic changes, technological transformation and tighter financing conditions.

He outlined regional priorities emerging from consultations with Members, including support for implementation of the African Union Kampala Strategy, strengthening resilience in Asia and the Pacific with particular attention to SIDS, Least Developed Countries and Landlocked Developing Countries, and consolidating gains against hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Qu also reiterated the importance of supporting farmers globally, emphasizing that “without farmers there is no food; without food there is no stability; and without stability there is no future.”

Across all regions, he highlighted strong Member support for FAO’s work on Blue Transformation, One Health, climate-resilient agrifood systems, and transboundary animal and plant pests and diseases, including the new Global Partnership Programme for Transboundary Animal Diseases (GPP-TAD).

Prioritization, efficiency and accountability

Turning to FAO’s internal reforms and financial outlook, the Director-General said the PWB 2026–27 is guided by three principles: prioritization, efficiency and resource mobilization.

“We have scrutinized every programme, every activity, every post,” Qu said. “We have identified what is essential and what is desirable.”

He highlighted progress under FAO’s Efficiency Roadmap, including streamlined operational approaches, reduced administrative overheads and increased resources reaching the front lines, while stressing that FAO would continue to “find savings without sacrificing quality.”

At the same time, Qu warned that diminishing development finance, currency volatility and unforeseen emergencies continue to pose significant risks to FAO’s funding situation, calling for proactive action and broader partnerships with traditional donors, international financial institutions, emerging economies and the private sector.

The Director-General also reaffirmed his vision for “One FAO” built on decentralization with accountability, deeper private-sector engagement and stronger partnerships to scale impact.

“Delivery is credibility!” Qu said, urging Members to focus on measurable outcomes, transparency and long-term impact.

He concluded by calling on Members to “innovate today and nourish tomorrow, together!”

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