Partnering with OCHA

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) coordinates, supports and advocates for global efforts to address crises. OCHA and FAO have a long history of working together to solve the complex issues of food security, agriculture, and humanitarian situations.

Leveraging their complementary missions and skills, FAO and OCHA work together to improve responses to food crises, natural disasters, conflicts and other emergencies affecting agricultural and food security. The goal of this partnership is to improve the efficacy, efficiency and coordination of humanitarian and agricultural interventions in disasters.

Funding Mechanisms

The OCHA-managed Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) and Country-Based Pooled Funds (CBPFs) play an important role in enabling rapid and flexible funding to support critical humanitarian interventions, ensuring that urgent food security and agricultural needs are met in crisis-affected areas.

CERF, established by the UN General Assembly in 2005, enables humanitarian responders to deliver life-saving assistance around the world. Through the Fund’s Rapid Response and Underfunded Emergencies windows, it is a key resource partner for FAO’s emergency response activities globally.

At the UN Climate Change Conference (COP28) in Dubai in December 2023, CERF also launched its Climate Action Account, which allows the Fund to scale up climate-related humanitarian action in fragile contexts, through anticipatory action, early action and response.

Meanwhile, CBPFs collect donor contributions to make funding directly available to humanitarian partners on the ground when an emergency occurs or when an existing crisis deteriorates. CBPF allocations are designed to complement other humanitarian funding sources and prioritize direct funding to frontline local responders.

Memberships

Aiming to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), FAO and OCHA are members of several groups and initiatives at both global- and country-level. Below are a few highlights:

Both organizations are members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), a high-level forum for joint policy formation and decision-making that guides, supports, tracks and oversees the coordination of development operations in countries and territories worldwide.

FAO and OCHA are members of the Interagency Standing Committee (IASC). The IASC is the longest standing and highest level humanitarian coordination forum in the United Nations system. It brings together the executive heads of 19 organizations and consortia to formulate policy, set strategic priorities and mobilize resources in response to crises.

FAO and OCHA are both signatories of the Grand Bargain, a critical agreement signed by major donors and humanitarian organizations in the aftermath of the 2016 World Humanitarian Summit. The Grand Bargain seeks to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of humanitarian action, in order to get more means into the hands of people in need.

FAO and OCHA are also both leaders in the development of anticipatory action approaches and protocols, together with other partners, and are members of the Anticipation Hub.

International Observances

FAO and OCHA both observe World Humanitarian Day, which takes place every year on the 19 August, to recognize the aid workers that have sacrificed their lives to help people affected by global crises.

Useful Links and Resources