Chapter 5: Support Services

Major Programme 5.1: Information and Publications Support

752. Programme 5.1.1 is implemented by the Information Division (GII) and seeks to communicate messages to FAO's major audiences (mainstream and specialist media, governments, civil society organizations, technical and institutional partners, and the general public). Priorities are determined through a coordinated planning process involving technical departments, regional offices and the Office of the Director-General. The programme plays a central role in the cross-organizational strategy on Communicating FAO's messages.

753. Emphasis will be placed on adapting the communication effort to respond to local needs, and reaching key audiences which are still unfamiliar with FAO. Maximum use will be made of the Information Officers attached to the Regional Office for Europe, the Liaison Office for North America, the Regional Office for Africa, the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the Regional Office for the Near East.

754. The existing Visitors' Service will be gradually expanded with a goal of accommodating up to 20,000 visitors per year and providing visitors with an educational experience on food safety, nutrition, environment and sustainable development issues. Multimedia information products, special information points in Headquarters buildings, full-capacity utilisation of the Iran and Austria rooms, and systematic use of volunteers will also enable GII to increase the number of visitors.

755. World Food Day and special events, including those under the TeleFood campaign, will continue to provide occasions for the dissemination of information materials about FAO, its work and priorities.

Resources

756. The net increase of resources would allow for a number of qualitative improvements to GII's information and publication support activities, primarily through: a post of Arabic Language Editor (enhancing the quality of outputs in that language), making full use of the public relations potential of the Atrium at Headquarters, and ensuring a consistent corporate image of the vast wealth of FAO media-oriented and printed information products. It will also facilitate media outreach in decentralized offices. At the same time, adjustments in staffing are made to reflect fast technological changes in this sector.

Impact of ZRG Resource Levels
GII would need to curtail its pursuit of cooperative agreements with television satellite firms and other communication organizations. Media outreach in North America would remain at its present modest level or, alternatively, cutbacks would be made in media activities in other regions. Development of the Visitors' Service into an expanded Visitors' Resource Centre would be postponed. The implementation phase of the "corporate visual identity" project, approved by the Corporate Communication Committee (CCC) in December 2000, would also have to be deferred. Plans for a series of country-focused exhibits in the Atrium would be dropped.

Programme 5.1.1: Public Information and Publications Support

Sub-programme 5.1.1.3: Multimedia Production

757. This sub-programme will continue to provide multimedia and print production expertise to develop materials which advocate key messages of the Organization to non-technical audiences. It will also continue to assist technical departments in support of their priority programmes as expressed in the Corporate Communication Plan.

758. The FAO Internet website, through its redesigned home page with daily updating of web stories, will be the prime outlet for news and information about the Organization and its work. It will also be used as a primary tool for outreach to the news media, both electronic and print, with their significant multiplier effect. Video, audio, still images and text will be produced and tailored for multiple use, (electronic and print).

759. Another high-visibility channel for communication will be the FAO Atrium as a major exhibition facility with a dynamic programme of exhibits relating to priority work of the Organization and its member countries in support of the fight against hunger.

760. Support will be provided to technical departments for the preparation of a wide range of other public information materials, including leaflets, booklets, brochures, posters, fact sheets, information folders, external directory and yearbook entries, multimedia presentations, CD-ROMs and displays and exhibits. Electronic dissemination and print-on-demand will ensure that the number of copies printed is kept to a realistic level, reducing costs significantly. Design, production and coordination services will continue to be offered in support of material produced by technical units themselves, or on their behalf by external contractors.

761. The Mediabase online photo archive will undergo further expansion and renovation, as a greatly expanded digital resource centre. It will provide access to a wide range of photos, audio, video and other images from across the Organization for use by a wide variety of internal and external clients. Photographic reproduction and digitisation services for information materials will continue to be available, although increased use of digital photography will result in a decline in printing of photos. The Photo Library and Laboratory will maintain photographic documentation of FAO's work by organising photo missions with both staff and freelance photographers.

Sub-programme 5.1.1.4: Publishing Policy and Support

762. This sub-programme will continue to support technical departments in disseminating high-quality information products in all official languages in print and electronic formats, including editing, design, desktop publishing, external printing and sales of FAO publications.

763. The change from a self-funding editorial pool to a centrally managed provision of editorial services was carried out in the previous biennium. Given the limited human resources available in the core editorial team, however, the concerned unit is no longer in a position to undertake single elements of the publishing process (such as editing, proof-reading or desktop publishing). Instead, language editors will act as project managers for the Organization's four major "flagship" publications and high-visibility policy documents in the official languages. This work covers every stage of the editorial process - from manuscript - through design, graphics and desktop publishing stages - to final product, including the application of styles for eventual electronic storage in the FAO Corporate Repository and will ensure continuity of the image of the Organization as a publisher of excellence.

764. Co-publishing activities with commercial publishers, which have proved successful in recent years in reducing FAO's publishing costs while ensuring wide dissemination, will be expanded as a cost-effective way of increasing the visibility and outreach of FAO's information products, particularly in developed countries. Co-publications will be selected following discussions with originating divisions based on their suitability to address target audiences such as policy-makers, scientists and academics.

765. Publications not falling into the categories noted above, will be produced externally by the technical departments, which will also take responsibility for the technical quality of the final products. The Publishing and Multimedia Service will support these external activities by providing information on qualified editorial and desktop publishing consultants and through a process of internal editorial quality control of information products prior to external printing or reproduction. Inconsistencies of statement, errors of fact or other imperfections noted will be brought to the attention of the originator for correction.

766. In view of the rapid changes in publishing technology, GII will be required to provide an even higher level of technical support to technical departments. The concerned group will expand its range of responsibilities in order to meet the Organization's printing needs in the age of digital printing and while qualified professional staff are needed to perform these functions, every effort will be made to cover additional costs within existing resources.

767. Close cooperation with technical departments impacts positively on the marketability of publications on a worldwide basis. The Sales and Marketing Group is moving forward with the online sales of publications and is working with technical departments on the development of additional products for delivery on the web or on CD-ROM.

Sub-programme 5.1.1.5: Media Relations

768. In the Media Relations Branch, the completed merger of the former Press and Electronic Media Branches demonstrated significant productivity gains through the integration and improved focus of communication activities. The branch will build on this to seek a high-impact approach to communicating priority messages to FAO's major audiences, focusing on the Organization's main policies and programmes and promoting the goals of the World Food Summit. Target audiences include government decision makers, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, technical and institutional partners, women and youth groups and the general public at large in developed and developing countries.

769. The branch will support the annual strategic communication planning process with technical departments. It will plan, research, produce and place more than 200 written press communications (distributed globally in four languages) to more than 1,000 international and national news outlets. This production will be supplemented by some 20 video news releases, features and interviews, and 300 radio interviews, reports and programmes. Depending on topic and target, official language production will be supplemented by production in other languages.

770. Media campaigns in connection with major FAO meetings and conferences will be developed with the responsible divisions, and FAO staff and senior officials will be offered advice on dealing effectively with the media. Briefs will be prepared for major interventions with the media. Frequent contacts and joint planning sessions with multimedia production and publishing staff will facilitate a coordinated approach to releasing news and information to the public. Increasingly the Internet and the FAO homepage, will be an important channel for disseminating FAO news.

771. It is expected that media relations staff will respond to some 1,500 queries from print, radio and television journalists. In addition, some 150 interviews will be arranged with FAO senior staff and experts, 6-10 press conferences or media briefings will be organised, and some 200 visiting print, television, radio and other journalists will be assisted. Field trips for print and broadcast journalists will be arranged, and staff of the branch's video production unit will undertake field missions to collect material for video news features and news releases.

772. Increasingly the branch will take advantage of new technologies to distribute audio and video products to a wider audience: distribution of audio material via the Internet is usefully supplementing the traditional distribution of audio cassettes. E-mail has significantly broadened the global distribution of Press Releases at no additional cost. The recently prepared video catalogue is raising awareness in the broadcast media of the branch's video resources and will increase usage by TV stations. The branch will continue to monitor world print media for coverage of FAO and prepare monthly compilations of press clippings.

773. Regional Information Officers will further extend the reach of the communication effort, adapting and targeting messages for audiences in their geographic areas and facilitating multiple launches of important reports and flagship publications. The presence of the Information Officer in North America contributes to increasing outreach in the region, while for others attention will be paid to mobility within the region and their ability to organise media briefings and other events designed to position FAO as a key player and authoritative voice in its fields of expertise.

Major Programme 5.2: Administration

774. Major Programme 5.2 covers the financial, computer and personnel services provided by the Administration and Finance Department (AF), including the development of corporate accounting and administrative systems, and applicable provisions in Regional and Sub-regional Offices.

Resources

775. The net changes in resources under real growth reflect a combination of different factors. In the first instance the efforts to implement further savings, particularly through the abolition of a number of posts in the Office of Assistant Director-General (AFD) and the Personnel Division (AFP), so as to be able to meet substantial additional costs required to bring the Finance Division (AFF) up to the staffing level considered essential to effectively manage the new financial systems (e.g. Oracle). Amounts totalling US$ 5.2 million have also been provided for the subsequent development phases of the Oracle-based major overhaul of FAO's financial and administrative systems (e.g. payroll, Data Warehouse financial information, human resource module). The amount is to be considered provisional as work is underway to identify the full cost of Phase II which may be very substantial. Hence, the provisions indicated assume that additional resources for this purpose will be made available from the expected payment of arrears. Secondly, some posts of the Information Systems and Technology Division (AFI), hitherto under Programme 5.2.2, have been moved to the pool managed by this division - the cost of which is spread throughout the Organization according to actual use of computer services. Thirdly, resources have been transferred from Major Programme 5.2 to Chapter 6, particularly affecting respective programme management provisions (5.2.9 and 6.0.0.9).

Impact of ZRG Resource Levels
A reduced provision under ZRG would virtually cripple the Organization's ability to meet the development costs of subsequent phases of the Oracle project funded under Programmes 5.2.1 and 5.2.3. This would leave this project basically dependent on funding opportunities from arrears, which are not certain. It would imply postponement of Phase II of the Oracle project, which includes the new payroll, Data Warehouse and human resources modules, until such time as adequate resources could be released.

Programme 5.2.1: Financial Services

776. The primary activities of the Finance Division are to maintain the accounts of the Organization to the highest standards with reference to the UN Accounting Standards and Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, and to provide accurate financial information to all levels within the Organization and to the Governing Bodies.

Proposed Activities for 2002-2003

777. The main focus of the strengthened AFF Division in the 2002-03 biennium will be the consolidation of FAO's financial systems. This will include further refinement of the systems and procedural changes already implemented to support the rationalisation and decentralisation of the budget management process and transaction processing throughout the Organization. This consolidation effort will entail completion of "Oracle 11i", a web-based version of the current package, as well as upgrades of the Field Accounting System (FAS) and ATLAS (travel system). Significant procedural changes will be introduced in various business areas including inter alia accounts payable, accounts receivable and travel, which will result in substantial streamlining of transaction processing.

778. Phase II system development will call for efforts in effectively integrating the human resources and work planning modules and the new payroll system, into the existing accounting systems of the Oracle project. AFF will actively support this significant change process, while continuing its own internal reorganisation entailing absorption of new business procedures. Given the complexity of the business areas affected by the new systems, staff effort associated with these developments will be substantial.

Programme 5.2.2: Information Systems and Technology Services

779. Implementation of the Organization's programmes, in technical, economic and administrative areas, requires effective and efficient information and communication technology (ICT) support. The demand for such support has been increasing steadily as FAO's user community has experienced the benefits and capabilities of ICT, and is expected to continue to grow at a rapid pace.

780. In line with vastly expanded use of information systems and new technologies, AFI will continue to assist programme managers and technical staff in applying modern communication tools and techniques. The development and coordination of systems and applications within the framework of corporate and departmental strategies requires that AFI undertake the overall management of shared computer resources and telecommunications infrastructures, including local and Wide Area Network (WAN) management and Internet systems management.

781. Through its collaboration in the development and maintenance of key components, AFI assists in the delivery of the programmes of the Organization through support to computer application initiatives such as the World Agricultural Information Centre (WAICENT), the Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping System (FIVIMS), the Fisheries Global Information System (FIGIS), INFOSYLVA and FAOMAP, all of which make extensive use of Internet-based technology.

Proposed Activities for 2002-2003

782. AFI will continue to support corporate systems in the Organization by defining, maintaining and promoting the use of: system development standards; agreed technical system architecture; and various tools and components that best fit into the overall policy of a cost/effective and sustainable ICT environment.

783. In 2002-03, AFI will devote much of its time and resources to: upgrading of Oracle applications; new releases and their further development; support of systems to sustain the decentralization of project operations to FAO Representations; replacement of legacy human resources and payroll systems; and provision of the required computer infrastructure.

784. In particular, an upgraded version of the WAN communications infrastructure and of the E-mail system will be deployed to link most of the decentralized offices desk-to-desk into a Virtual Private Network (VPN) environment. This will facilitate the release of web-enabled versions of current administrative support systems, the budget maintenance and monitoring system, FAS and ATLAS to operate over the Organization's new Intranet. The Oracle Data Warehouse environment, which has been essential in the decentralization of field project management to FAORs, will be enhanced.

785. In addition, AFI will continue working in close cooperation with the Technical Cooperation Department (TC) in support of the Field Programme Management Information System (FPMIS), which makes use of data collected directly by TC on project and programme activities at different stages of the project life-cycle. This information is planned to be fully integrated with budgetary, financial and human resources data by linking automatically to the corporate Data Warehouse, thus reducing of duplicate data capture and maintenance, and an improved level of data integrity and consistency across the Organization. AFI will also assist TC and the General Affairs and Information Department (GI) in exploiting different synergies between WAICENT and administrative systems and databases by upgrading the FPMIS to become the foundation of a Country Information System to make all information on a given country (i.e. political, economical, financial and programmatic) available to all users in a variety of different formats.

Resources

786. The provision under this programme covers only the direct managerial costs of the AFI Division, excluding the division director's office, which are shown under Sub-programme 5.2.9.2, Divisional Direction. The remaining costs of information technology (IT) services, which total approximately US$ 24.3 million, are distributed to the various programmes utilising IT infrastructures, network and telecommunications services, and computerised applications. The reduction under Programme 5.2.2 is due to a shift of costs from management activities to the distributed costs of information technology services.

Programme 5.2.3: Human Resources Services

787. This programme relates primarily to the work of the Personnel Division (AFP), which will continue to cover the broad spectrum of human resources management issues. The functions of the division have been evolving over the last two biennia, shifting from a traditional rules-based prescriptive approach to a more consultative and advisory role, involving an integrated approach to human resources planning and development in a dynamic process requiring adjustments as advances are achieved.

788. AFP will continue to enhance its advisory role and provide outreach and support to the decentralized offices. It will also ensure that human resources management policies are fully supportive of cross-organizational issues and overall strategic directions of the Organization. Departmental human resources action plans will be developed to include strategies for ensuring excellence, enhancement of inter-disciplinary approach and development of broader partnerships and alliances. The planned implementation of Oracle Phase II (human resources module) in 2002-03, delayed from 2000-01, will require a large commitment from the division.

Proposed Activities for 2002-2003

789. AFP will continue to cover a broad range of human resources management activities, including: development of personnel policies and procedures; position management and control; support to recruitment of staff; management studies and job classification; salaries and allowances administration; social security provisions; identification of training requirements and provision of a range of services in relation to training; administration of appeals procedures and consultation with staff representative bodies; monitoring and support of the administration and servicing of staff; and provision of advisory services to management and staff in its areas of responsibilities.

790. The division will also begin the implementation of the new initiatives illustrated in the Medium Term Plan (MTP) aimed at enhancing the Organization's planning capacity through the development of human resources action plans, focusing on such aspects as:

1. targeted recruitment programmes for young professionals to replace skills that will be lost through retirement (supported by identified skills and core competencies within their first years of service);
2. measures to ensure that gender and diversity issues are integrated into human resources management activities (taking into account the Gender and Development Plan of Action), while maintaining an appropriate geographical balance; and
3. implementation of an enhanced programme of staff development with particular emphasis on supporting key cross-organizational themes emerging from the MTP (Enhancing inter-disciplinarity, Leveraging resources for FAO and its Members, and Communicating FAO's messages).

791. An important aspect will be the continuing review of jobs in the general service category with a view to updating them and keeping abreast of technological developments in line with future organizational requirements. AFP will also identify higher-level skills and competencies and the training and development requirements for ensuring enhanced flexibility in the deployment and mobility of staff.

792. Particular focus will be given to the career development of staff. In this connection strengthening of the various building blocks including performance management and appraisal, skills inventory, defining of the core organizational competencies for staff and implementation of development programmes will continue.

793. Human resource policies and procedures will be reviewed and streamlined to ensure that they take account of best practices within the UN common system and national administrations and enhance productivity and efficiency. This review will be an essential component in the development and implementation of a new human resources transaction processing and information management system, which will involve liaison between AFP and AFI at the design, development, testing and implementation stages. Allocation of AFP resources will be specifically devoted to these activities.

794. AFP will continue to participate in inter-agency consultations, including meetings of the Administrative Committee on Coordination Human Resources Network, the International Civil Service Commission (ICSC) and the United Nations Joint Staff Pension Fund, in order to monitor developments at the UN common system level, while ensuring that FAO's employment conditions and entitlements are competitive. In this regard, AFP will play an active role in the ICSC review of pay and benefits to be completed in 2002. In addition, it will implement the new contractual arrangements arising from the comprehensive review of the medical insurance scheme of the Organization carried out in 2000-2001.

795. Close consultation will be carried out with staff representative bodies, with a view to promoting open dialogue and achieving consensus and collaboration on human resources management projects and initiatives, such as staff and career development, introduction of flexible work practices, performance management, and work and family policies.

Medical Service

796. The Medical Service (AFDM), which reports directly to the Office of Assistant Director-General, AF, will continue to fulfil its statutory functions and undertake preventive measures to improve the health of the staff, with a view to maximising human and economic benefits.

Programme 5.2.9: Programme Management

797. This programme covers AFD, the offices of division directors, the direct managerial costs of the Management Support Service (MSS) and the portion of the distributed costs of the MSS corresponding to the service provided to the AF Department. The remaining costs of the MSS, amounting to approximately US$ 6.9 million, are distributed to the various management programmes of Headquarters departments being serviced by the MSS.

798. The reduction in this programme is due to savings, coupled with a shift in costs of management activities for Common Services to Chapter 6.