Director-General praises FAO Council’s efficiency in changing the business model to better help Members and farming communities

Rome – The Director-General of Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, praised FAO Members for their commitment to efficiency and effectiveness and emphasized that business as usual is not an option as the world faces profound global challenges, in his closing statement to the 179^th Session of the FAO Council (1-4 December).

“When we are focused, disciplined, and collaborative, we can achieve more with the time and resources we have. This will be our guide as we start implementing the Programme of Work and Budget 2026-27,” the Director-General said.

Qu highlighted that enhancing FAO’s internal governance efficiency supports the Organization’s mission to help countries and communities tackle challenges related to the Four Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind.

“By proving we can work smarter within these halls, we have strengthened our collective capacity to respond to the urgent calls from the fields, the farming communities, and the vulnerable households we serve,” he said.

“We have been reminded that every efficiency gained here translates into more effective support for those on the frontlines of the fight for food security and sustainable development.”

Pathways to transform agrifood systems and promote global food security

In his opening speech to the Council, the Director-General had outlined key transformational pathways for FAO moving forward: i) from crisis response to resilience building; ii) from input-intensive to knowledge-intensive Agrifood Systems; iii) from silos to synergies; and iv) from global commitments to localized action.

“We are all aware that our world is defined by an overlap of interconnected crises that test our resilience, and which demand a radical rethinking and redesigning of our approach,” the Director-General said, highlighting a landscape of geopolitical tensions, economic instability, environmental crises, and deepening social inequalities.