The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ) ( Italian: Organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite per l ' Alimentazione e l ' Agricoltura ) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.

FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries and countries in transition modernize and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring good nutrition and food security for all.

FAO's Regular Programme budget is funded by its members, through contributions set at the FAO Conference.

The FAO regular budget for 2012-2013 biennium is US $ 1, 005. 6 million.

FAO is receiving a total of around € 200 million for work in 25 countries, of which € 15. 4 million goes to Zimbabwe.

As FAO is primarily a knowledge based organization, investing in human resources is a top priority.

Some countries may denote specific representatives to the FAO, for instance the United States Ambassador to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, who has ambassador rank and is also part of the United States Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome.

Additionally outside the region, FSM is a member or participant of the ACP ( Lomé Convention ), the Alliance of Small Island States, the Asian Development Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( ESCAP ), the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), the G-77, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the IMF, the International Olympic Committee, the ITU, the NAM and the World Meteorological Organization.

Jordan is an active member of the UN and several of its specialized and related agencies, including the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), International Atomic Energy Agency ( IAEA ), and World Health Organization ( WHO ).

Additionally outside the region, Kibibati is a member or participant of the ACP ( Lomé Convention ), the Asian Development Bank, the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( ESCAP ), the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the IMF, International Maritime Organization, International Olympic Committee, International Telecommunication Union ( ITU ), Universal Postal Union and the World Meteorological Organization.

Laos is a member of the following international organizations: Agency for Cultural and Technical Cooperation ( ACCT ), Association of Southeast Asian NationsASEAN, ASEAN Free Trade Area ( AFTA ), ASEAN Regional Forum, Asian Development Bank, Colombo Plan, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific ( ESCAP ), Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), Group of 77G-77, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development ( World Bank ), International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO ), International Development Association ( IDA ), International Fund for Agricultural Development ( IFAD ), International Finance Corporation ( IFC ), International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, International Labour Organization ( ILO ), International Monetary Fund ( IMF ), Intelsat ( nonsignatory user ), Interpol, International Olympic Commission ( IOC ), International Telecommunication UnionITU, Mekong Group, Non-Aligned Movement ( NAM ), Permanent Court of Arbitration ( PCA ), United Nations, United Nations Convention on Trade and Development ( UNCTAD ), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO ), United Nations Industrial Development Organization ( UNIDO ), Universal Postal Union ( UPU ), World Federation of Trade Unions, World Health Organization ( WHO ), World Intellectual Property Organization ( WIPO ), World Meteorological Organization ( WMO ), World Tourism Organization, World Trade Organization ( observer ).

Libya is a member of ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, AMU, AU, CAEU, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHRC ( suspended ), UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, UNWTO and UNHABITAT.

Malta is member of C, CE, EBRD, ECE, EU ( member from 1 May 2004 ), FAO, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IFAD, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, IOM ( observer ), ISO, ITU, OPCW, OSCE, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

25. 4 % of Nepal's land area, or about is covered with forest according to FAO figures from 2005.

FAO estimates that around 9. 6 % of Nepal's forest cover consists of primary forest which is relatively intact.

About 12. 1 % Nepal's forest is classified as protected while about 21. 4 % is conserved according to FAO.

The following table is based on the ISSCAAP classification ( International Standard Statistical Classification of Aquatic Animals and Plants ) used by the FAO for the purposes of collecting and compiling fishery statistics.

Turkmenistan is affiliated to the CIS, EAPC, EBRD, ECE, ECO, ESCAP, FAO, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDB, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat ( nonsignatory user ), IOC, IOM ( observer ), ISO ( correspondent ), ITU, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE, PFP, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO ( observer )

Ertharin Cousin is the current Executive Director, appointed jointly by the UN Secretary General and the Director-General of the FAO for a five-year term.

According to FAO statistics, the total number of commercial fishermen and fish farmers is estimated to be 38 million.

It is defined by the FAO as including recreational, subsistence and commercial fishing, and the harvesting, processing, and marketing sectors.

FAO reports that China is the top duck market in 2004 followed by Vietnam and other South East Asian countries.

It takes advice on issues needing multidisciplinary expertise from the Joint Group of Experts on Scientific Aspects of Marine Environmental Protection ( GESAMP ) which is composed of specialized experts nominated by the IMO, FAO, UNESCO, IOC, WMO, WHO, IAEA, UN, and UNEP.

" The United States is collaborating closely with eight international organizations, including the World Health Organization ( WHO ), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ), the World Organization for Animal Health ( OIE ), and 88 foreign governments to address the situation through planning, greater monitoring, and full transparency in reporting and investigating avian influenza occurrences.

" Other critics of the FAO data point out that they do not distinguish between forest types, and that they are based largely on reporting from forestry departments of individual countries, which do not take into account unofficial activities like illegal logging.

Many governmental agencies, the most notable ones being the United States Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ), the United States Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ), Health Canada, and the European Union Health and Consumer Protection Directorate-General, as well as the World Health Organization ( WHO ) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), have issued guidance for fish consumers that is designed to limit methylmercury exposure from fish consumption.

The PDCAAS rating was adopted by the US Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ) and the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations / World Health Organization ( FAO / WHO ) in 1993 as " the preferred ' best '" method to determine protein quality.

Bank for International Settlements, Council of Europe, Central European Initiative, EBRD, United Nations Economic Commission for Europe, FAO, Group of 77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, International Criminal Court, International Development Association, IFAD, International Finance Corporation, IFRCS, ILO, International Monetary Fund, International Maritime Organization, Interpol, IOC, International Organization for Migration ( observer ), ISO, ITU, Non-Aligned Movement ( guest ), Organization of American States ( observer ), OIC ( observer ), OPCW, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, United Nations, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO ( observer )

In addition to its membership in the UN and the Commonwealth of Nations, outside the region, Tuvalu is a member or participant of the ACP ( Lomé Convention ), the Alliance of Small Island States, Asian Development Bank, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( ESCAP ), the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), the G-77, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, the IMF, the International Maritime Organization, the International Olympic Committee, the ITU and the Universal Postal Union.

Additionally outside the region, Tonga is a member or participant of the ACP ( Lomé Convention ), Asian Development Bank, Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( ESCAP ), the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), the G-77, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the International Civil Aviation Organization, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, the International Development Association, the International Finance Corporation, International Hydrographic Organization, the IMF, the International Maritime Organization, Interpol, the International Olympic Committee, the ITU, the NAM, the UPU, the World Meteorological Organization and the World Trade Organization.

Demographics of Angola, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

As such, it has to be distinguished from agricultural land, which, according to Food and Agriculture Organization's ( FAO ) definition, additionally includes land under permanent crops as well as permanent pastures.

Population in thousands ; Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005.

Demographics of Botswana, Data of Food and Agriculture Organisation | FAO, year 2008 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Demographics of Burkina Faso, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Demographics of Burundi, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Demographics of Chad, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Demographics of Cape Verde, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

* Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO )

Demographics of Côte d ' Ivoire, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Demographics of Comoros, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

In 2000 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) found that " the role of population dynamics in a local setting may vary from decisive to negligible ," and that deforestation can result from " a combination of population pressure and stagnating economic, social and technological conditions.

A 2005 report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) estimates that although the Earth's total forest area continues to decrease at about 13 million hectares per year, the global rate of deforestation has recently been slowing.

Demographics of Egypt, Data of Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, year 2005 ; number of inhabitants in thousands.

A report by the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ) states that Afghanistan was nearing self-sufficiency in grain production.

FAO has carried out projects in over 25 countries and inter-agency missions in nearly 60, scaled up its monitoring through the Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture, provided policy advice to governments while supporting their efforts to increase food production, and advocated for more investment in agriculture.

The Alliance was founded by the Rome based food agencies-the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations ( FAO ), UN World Food Programme ( WFP ), International Fund for Agriculture Fund for Development ( IFAD ),-and Bioversity International.

Population growth 1961-2003, as reported by Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, 2005.

Evolution of the demography between 1961 and 2003 ( figure of the Food and Agriculture Organization | FAO, 2005 ).

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization ( FAO ), 75, 866 square kilometres of the world are dedicated to grapes.