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FAO Liaison Office in Geneva

Rural Transformation

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Traditional development processes have driven economic growth and poverty reduction in many countries but often in unsustainable and unequal ways. Recent crises—including conflicts, extreme climate events, and economic downturns—have deepened inequalities and jeopardized livelihoods, particularly among the rural poor.

At FAO rural transformation is the process of modernizing rural areas and economies. It involves agricultural development, income diversification, and improved infrastructure so that rural populations—particularly small-scale farmers, women, and youth—benefit from economic growth, rather than being forced to migrate to cities due to a lack of local opportunities.

FAO’s Rural Transformation and Gender Equality Division (ESP) works with member countries to Leave No One Behind and contribute to FAO’s mandate of promoting better production, better nutrition, better environment and better life. ESP also leads the implementation of the three mainstreaming themes of FAO's strategic framework, gender, youth, and inclusion, across the organization. 

We pave the way for long-term, equitable agrifood system transformation that leaves no one behind, focusing on: (i) building sustainable and resilient livelihoods for vulnerable populations in agrifood systems, (ii) achieving gender equality, women’s empowerment and inclusion in agrifood systems, and (iii) promoting equitable and inclusive climate action, natural resource management, and resilience.

The Liaison Office in Geneva (LOG) engages in Geneva-based deliberations addressing inclusive rural transformation primarily through the themes of the right to food, decent rural employment, migration, and gender equality, with a focus on how structural inequalities, livelihoods, and access to services affect food security and rural populations.

LOG analyzes, informs, and reports on deliberations of the regular sessions of the HRC that are relevant to FAO’s mandate on food security and rural livelihoods. In close collaboration with headquarters units, it also interacts with resolution sponsors when they hold open consultations.

The Liaison Office engages in and reports on key deliberations related to migration, labour, and social justice, such as the Annual Forum of the Global Coalition on Social Justice, the ILO Governing Body Sessions and Conferences, the IOM Council, and the Global Framework on Migration and Development.

LOG is actively engaged in the International Year of the Woman Farmer (IYWF) 2026, highlighting the often overlooked yet essential contributions women make across agrifood systems, from production to trade. Specific events and exhibitions throughout the year showcase how women farmers are central to food security, nutrition and economic resilience. 

In close collaboration with ESP, the Liaison Office also helps to establish and engage in strategic partnerships on inclusive rural transformation with Geneva-based partner agencies and organizations such as ILO, IOM, OHCHR, UNICEF and UNWOMEN.

 

The FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, in collaboration with ESP and partner agencies such as the ILO, UNICEF, OHCHR, IFRC...  is organizing a Social Protection Dialogue Series to raise awareness on the role of social protection as a key instrument for poverty reduction and inclusive growth in rural areas. This series stresses the need to increase investments at domestic and international level to expand social protection coverage, adequacy, and comprehensiveness and thus contribute to more resilient and sustainable rural livelihoods. Through the engagement of distinguished speakers, the Dialogue Series presents important work carried out in Member States and showcases concrete examples of strengthening and extending social protection systems as a core ingredient of strategies seeking to promote more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agrifood systems.

Here is a list of Social Protection Dialogues so far, in reverse chronological order:

The FAO in Geneva Right to Food Thematic Dialogue Series is a joint initiative of the FAO Liaison Office in Geneva, in collaboration with ESP’s Right to Food Team.

This Thematic Dialogue Series seeks to emphasize the need for concerted action and commitment at all levels to fully realize the right to adequate food (RTF) for all, to advocate for the redoubling of efforts to build inclusive agrifood systems that uphold human rights, and to highlight the cohesion and collaborative action between Rome and Geneva, across Permanent Missions, UN agencies, civil society and academia.

Through the engagement of distinguished speakers, the RTF Dialogue Series presents important work and initiatives carried out in Member States and showcases concrete examples of implementing and strengthening the Right to Adequate Food.

Here is a list of Right to Food Dialogues so far, in reverse chronological order:

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