12 December 2012
FAO Council Sets Hunger Eradication as Primary Goal
story highlights

The Governing Council of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO), at its 145th meeting, amended the primary goal of the FAO, created new rules for Directors-General transition periods and agreed on a strategy for collaboration with civil society.

FAO7 December 2012: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) has announced that the 145th meeting of its governing Council concluded with a decision to amend its primary goal from hunger reduction to hunger eradication. The Council met from 3-7 December 2012, in Rome, Italy.

At the opening of the Council meeting, FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva said FAO is attempting to move from a project approach to a programme approach, and it is are breaking down institutional silos in an effort to link FAO work on knowledge with its operations. He noted that FAO has found over US$26 million in savings and efficiencies and that much of this will be reinvested in the FAO’s technical operations.

Also at the meeting, the Council accepted a strategy to promote collaboration between FAO and civil society. It also created more flexible rules for the transition period between FAO Directors-General, to ensure smooth transitions. Side events during the week focused on reducing food waste, World Soil Day, the launching of the State of Food and Agriculture 2012, and the FAOSTAT data dissemination tool. [FAO Press Release, 3 December] [FAO Press Release, 7 December] [IISD RS Story on State of Food and Agriculture 2012]

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