Netherlands pledges €20 million to UN programmes to boost food, forestry

In a bid to boost forestry, food security and agricultural biodiversity in the world’s poorest countries, the Netherlands has pledged €20 million (euros) over the next four years to a new initiative undertaken by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO, the Rome-based agency announced today.

Under the FAO-Netherlands Partnership Programme established in 2001, donor support is not tied to particular projects or specific departments within the UN agency, but instead goes to support a broader range of activities sharing common objectives and carried out in close cooperation by diverse FAO units.

"What this partnership with the Netherlands allows us to do is concentrate on those countries that most need help, mobilizing FAO's broad and diverse expertise on the ground in an extremely comprehensive and focused way," said FAO Assistant Director-General Henri Carsalade.

Activities undertaken by FAO under the project in recent years range from the development of forestry policy for the countries of central Africa to poverty reduction programmes in India.

“The idea is to team up with national governments, as well as with organizations like the World Bank, to pool resources and expertise and join efforts toward the common goal of helping developing countries implement policy reforms that can reduce poverty and hunger,” Mr. Carsalade said.

The Netherlands Programme was the first such "strategic partnership" established by FAO. Similar liaisons have since been formed, or are under preparation, with Canada, Norway and Sweden.

Today's pledge brings the total amount of Partnership funding granted to FAO by the Netherlands to around €35 million. This support comes in addition to the regular contribution made by the Netherlands to agency’s operating budget.