On 25 November 2021, FAO and the Government of Australia signed a new USD 1 009 710 (equal to AUD 1 300 000) agreement to support the Flexible Multi-Partner Mechanism (FMM), FAO’s main fund for channelling and managing less-earmarked resources to strengthen the achievement of the Organization’s Strategic Objectives and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This agreement is part of a one-off, voluntary contribution from Australia of USD 2 019 420 (AUD 2 600 000) to FAO in 2021 for financing life-saving programmes and essential development initiatives around the world.

The contribution agreement, which was signed on 23 November 2021 by Ms Beth Bechdol, FAO’s Deputy Director-General, and Mr Chris Tinning, Australia’s First Assistant Secretary in the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, is committed to the current FMM phase (2018–2021), with the flexibility to use any unspent funds on implementing FMM Subprogrammes until 31 December 2023. Thanks to this and other flexible contributions by FMM resource partners, concrete efforts are being made to ensure programme implementation, despite the unprecedented challenges that the world faces due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Since its establishment, the FMM has mobilized over USD 135 million, including more than USD 65 million in the current phase, thanks to the generous support of Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Norway, Flanders, New Zealand, Italy, France, Switzerland, Australia and Ireland. Through these contributions, the FMM has funded over 50 projects and Subprogrammes in six key programmatic areas: i) Evidence-based policy, global instruments, and knowledge products; ii) Resilience and sustainable food systems; iii) Migration and fragility; iv) Generational gaps, women empowerment and decent rural employment; v) Climate action in agriculture; and vi) Oceans and Blue Growth.

Ms Bechdol expressed her appreciation for Australia’s generosity, stating “I am delighted that Australia has joined FAO’s Flexible Multi-Partner Mechanism. Having Australia on board will add even more strength to this initiative, which is of strategic importance to achieving agri-food systems transformation through Better Production, Better Nutrition, a Better Environment and a Better Life, leaving no one behind.” She added, “We take seriously the emphasis FAO Members are putting on the importance of flexible, lightly earmarked and unearmarked funding to support the implementation of the Strategic Framework 2022–31. Australia’s support for the FMM allows us to move forward together with this goal in mind.”

Mr Tinning said that “Australia greatly appreciates the FAO’s ongoing efforts to protect food security and nutrition, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Australia’s contribution will support the FAO to advance technical support for science and evidence-based decision making, encourage the uptake of agricultural innovations to boost resilience and sustainability, and improve smallholder access to markets and value chains.” With this contribution, Australia becomes the eleventh FMM Resource Partner and a member of the FMM Advisory Group, which provides strategic guidance on the best ways to effectively address today’s fast-changing threats and contribute to the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.