Food and Agriculture Organisation

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) is an impartial and specialised agency of the United Nations with head office in Rome. FAO's mission is to combat world hunger, thus achieving food security for all. In other words, ensuring that people have regular access to enough good quality food to lead an active and healthy life. FAO's activities primarily focus on providing information and making recommendations on agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fisheries and food. FAO assists in the development of rural areas and the improvement of food quality and agricultural productivity in both developing and developed countries.

FAO collaborates with various bodies, such as other UN agencies, companies and national governments.

FAO is important for Flanders because it has been present in Malawi for over 30 years, building up a close cooperative relationship with the Government of Malawi, as well as with other development partners such as donors, civil society, other UN organizations, private actors, farmers groups, etc. In addition, the organisation is considered the preferential partner in Malawi for the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Water development on agriculture and food security. FAO has made an important contribution to the emergence of the Agricultural Sector Wide Approach Programme (ASWAP), the policy framework for the agricultural sector in the country.