B.1: International Instruments

International instruments concerning food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry, and the production, safe use and fair exchange of agricultural, fishery and forestry goods

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The present international policy and regulatory framework for food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry needs to be further developed, as it is an important prerequisite for achieving food security for all. The framework should facilitate the conservation, sound management and sustainable use of natural resources; help ensure adequate and safe food supplies; and promote food, agricultural trade and overall trade policies conducive to food security through a fair and market-oriented world trade system. Among the challenges addressed is that of facilitating the full and informed participation of all FAO Members in the further development of an appropriate regulatory framework in the areas of the Organization's mandate, with due regard to the special concerns of developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Strategy components: The components include: within the spheres of FAO's competence, providing a forum for policy debate and negotiations on the international regulatory framework at the global and regional levels, and servicing international instruments as required; developing international standards and other measures for the implementation of the international regulatory framework, in the areas of food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry; ensuring that with respect to natural resources, environment and trade, the specific needs and concerns of the food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry sectors are adequately reflected in international instruments, and that appropriate sectoral policy advice is provided to the relevant fora; enhancing the contribution of international agricultural trade to food security, by monitoring and analysing trade information, addressing issues of trade and market development for food and agricultural products; and improving Members' capacities, with particular reference to developing countries and countries with economies in transition, to participate actively in negotiations in relevant international fora dealing with natural resources, environment and trade. Comparative advantages and partnerships: FAO is ideally placed to provide a global and neutral forum for the further development of the international policy and regulatory framework for food, agriculture, fisheries and forestry. The Organization draws on a wide range of multisectoral technical and legal expertise and extensive experience in the development and adoption of international agreements, codes of conduct, undertakings, standards and other instruments on matters within its mandate. Through the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, FAO has recognized competence in facilitating negotiations by governments of international instruments on aspects of biological diversity of relevance to food and agriculture. The International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) provides a neutral forum for international cooperation in the negotiation and harmonization of policies for protection of plants and plant products from pests. Food safety standards adopted by the Codex Alimentarius Commission and plant health standards developed under the aegis of the IPPC are recognized by WTO as reference points for the international trade system. FAO also has a unique structure of intergovernmental commodity groups through which governments consult on agricultural commodities. In the areas of its comparative advantage, FAO will continue to rely on partnership with relevant international and civil society organizations (including producers' and consumers' associations) to complement its work. Examples are cooperation with WHO in the operation of the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme and the Codex Alimentarius Commission, and cooperation with the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and CGIAR, generally in the area of genetic resources for food and agriculture. In other areas, FAO will work with relevant organizations dealing with natural resources, environment and trade. This will involve ongoing support, from a food and agriculture perspective, to secretariats of conventions (e.g. the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Convention to Combat Desertification and the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, Especially as Waterfowl Habitat (also known as the Ramsar Convention). Cooperation will also continue with the secretariats of the Convention on Climate Change and of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, as will participation in negotiations under the aegis of UNEP on persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Support on the rights related to food will continue to be provided to the Committee on Economic and Social Rights and to the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (UNHCHR).

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