INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION OF AGRICULTURE. — Better known by the acronym F.A.O. (Food and Agriculture Organization), it is the organization established within the United Nations, intended to encompass on a worldwide scale all the problems of agriculture and food. It has a predecessor in the International Institute of Agriculture, founded in 1905, which for 35 years conducted studies and collaboration among the various countries in the field of agriculture.
The foundations of the new organization were laid as early as 1943 (May 17–June 7) at Hot Springs in the United States, and the F.A.O. began its work during the first two sessions of the General Conference, held respectively in Québec and Copenhagen in 1945 and 1946. Having completed its structure, it currently comprises 58 States freely united on equal terms for the performance of its statutory tasks, and has a central secretariat together with a series of central and regional offices.
The national Committees of the F.A.O. in each member country constitute the liaison body between the governments and the international organization.
Countries such as Italy, which are not part of the United Nations, also belong to the F.A.O. on equal terms: all the Great Powers are represented, with the exception of the U.S.S.R. The general purpose of the F.A.O. is to promote throughout the world better-organized agriculture, improved distribution of available commodities among producing and consuming countries, and better nutrition. Consequently, its objective is to remedy the privations created by market instability, surpluses, waste, and the irrational exploitation of the land. The F.A.O. will thus also be one of the bodies that will administer the funds made available by the United Nations in order to spread among the less developed countries the perfected techniques and structures already characteristic of countries with intensive economies,
ORGAN. INT. DELL'AGR. - ORGAN. INT. DEL LAVORO
a programme also known by the term Point IV of Truman.
On the basis of its objectives, the F.A.O. formulates recommendations, which must then receive the approval of the member States. Its organs are: the annual Conference of the member States, the Executive Committee, comprising from 9 to 15 members, and the offices. The permanent headquarters of the F.A.O. was established in Rome, which had already been the seat of the International Institute of Agriculture.