Food and Agriculture Organization
About
- The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to defeat hunger.
Specialized agencies of UN:
- The UN specialized agencies are autonomous international organizations working with the United Nations.
- All were brought into relationship with the UN through negotiated agreements.
- There are 15 specialized agencies (treating the World Bank Group as a single cluster):
- Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): Rome, Italy
- International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO): Montreal, Canada
- International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD): Rome, Italy
- International Labour Organization (ILO): Geneva, Switzerland
- International Monetary Fund (IMF): Washington, D.C., USA
- International Maritime Organization (IMO): London, United Kingdom
- International Telecommunication Union (ITU): Geneva, Switzerland
- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): Paris, France
- United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO): Vienna, Austria
- UN Tourism: Madrid, Spain
- Universal Postal Union (UPU): Bern, Switzerland
- World Bank Group (WBG): Washington, D.C., USA
- World Health Organization (WHO): Geneva, Switzerland
- World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO): Geneva, Switzerland
- World Meteorological Organization (WMO): Geneva, Switzerland.
- Established in 1945, it is an intergovernmental organization, with more than 190 member countries (including India) and one member organization, the European Union.
- FAO’s goal is to achieve food and security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food and lead active, healthy lives.
- The headquarters of FAO is in Rome, Italy.
Why in News?
- Prime Minister Narendra Modi was conferred with the prestigious Agricola Medal for 2026 by the Food and Agriculture Organization.
- The Agricola Medal is awarded to distinguished world leaders and individuals for exceptional and long-term contributions to global food security, sustainable agriculture, poverty reduction and improved nutrition.