FAO members approve $42.6 million reform plan.
I have been learning more about the work of the FAO, (Food and Agricultural Organization) of the United Nations, inspired by some of the discussion at End POVERTY / Fim POBREZA.
Back in November of this year, the FAO member countries agreed to a $42.6 million, three-year immediate plan of action to enable the FAO to “reform with growth”. The recommendations were based upon an independent external evaluation (pdf) (View as HTML) completed last year and form the foundation of a strategy though which the United Nations Calls for New World Agricultural Order. Here is a draft addressing both an immediate Plan of Action for FAO Renewal, and a rationale for "Why reform?" (pdf)- (View as HTML) More insights are provided by MIJARC President George Dixon Fernandez in his review of the special session of the FAO convened (pdf) - (View as HTML) 18 – 22 November 2008, in Rome.
To my mind the evaluation and the plan of action are of equal importance. Evaluation is an important aspect of what FAO does.
The policies for evaluation of these programmes have been set by member countries in the Governing Bodies and the Director-General. Evaluation is designed:The introduction in 2000 of an enhanced results-based planning model for FAO has made it somewhat easier to identify the outcomes and impacts (objectives) towards which programmes are working
- a) for accountability on results, particularly in terms of evidence of contribution to sustainable impacts for the benefit of member countries; and
- b) to assist decision-making by the Governing Bodies, the Organization’s management and individual member countries as part of a results-based approach to decision-making.
The FAO did not avoid criticizing its own programs. One program sponsored and evaluated by the FAO was Telefood. Their evaluation highlighted some of the shortcomings of the program.
TeleFood events have not made their audiences aware of the causes of hunger, at the international ,national or local levels and of the multifaceted FAO activities in policy development, emergency response and field projects.Evaluation Brief 10 Evaluation of TeleFood
All of this can be placed under the ongoing discussion as to how to best address the challenge of world hunger and malnutrition. There is always the heartfelt, fully justified and understandable urge to do something to relieve suffering. There is also the need to make sure that such programs are effective in their impact, efficient in their use of resources and sustainable.
Related posts -
FAO not Schwartz part 2- Opposing Pathways to Ending World Hunger and Malnutrition
