Office

©FAO

The role of the GFOI Office (Office) is to provide secretariat services to the Initiative, its components, activities and partners. The Office also provides administrative support to the Leads, who assign day to day management responsibility for the Initiative to the Office. The Office is responsible for implementing the decisions and strategic vision of the Leads Group.

The Office is based within FAO but serves as an independent secretariat for all GFOI partners. The Office operates on funding provided by other GFOI Leads partners who are currently Australia and Norway. The Office conducts the following activities:

  • Provides overall secretariat services and a focal point for the Initiative and its activities
  • Provides administrative support to the Leads Group and day to day management on their behalf
  • Facilitates improved and expanded collaboration with new partners
  • Assists partners in targeting their support at priority country needs to speed up progress towards improved monitoring and results based reporting
  • Facilitates joint country needs and gaps assessments and joint work planning to help fill the identified priorities
  • Supports joint implementation of priority activities with program management support, facilitation and some funding
  • Facilitates developing country and some experts participation in GFOI activities as needed
  • Provides some component management support as needed
  • Supports the Initiative advisory groups administratively and with some funding
  • Manages the GFOI website on behalf of partners, a register of GFOI and partners activities and with this oversees  GFOI’s communications and knowledge management
  • Convenes meetings, teleconferences, workshops and other GFOI activities
  • Other services required to support the operations of GFOI and attainment of its objectives.