Key UN Bodies - Food Security and Nutrition - A Global Issue - Research Guides at United Nations Dag Hammarskjöld Library

Related SDGs

UN System Chief Executive Board for Coordination (UNSCEB)

In April 2008 the UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination (UNSCEB) established the Food Security Initiative which builds on the work of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Task Force on Global Food and Nutrition Security.

High-level Task Force on Global Food Security Crisis
Working to ensure that the UN system, international financial institutions and the WTO are ready to provide robust and consistent support to countries struggling to cope with food insecurity.
UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition
Established by ECOSOC in 1977 as the Sub-Committee on Nutrition within the Administrative Committee on Coordination of the United Nations (ACC) and was renamed the UN System Standing Committee on Nutrition on 2001. Committee reports are linked below under ECOSOC.
COVID-19: Food security policy briefs
Include reports and policy briefs on the UN System response to COVID-19 and its effects on food security.

Main UN Organs Addressing Food Securiy and Nutrition

General Assembly

The General Assembly considers Agriculture development, food security and nutrition as an item on its agenda which is assigned to the 2nd Committee. The following are the documents issued on the agenda over the years:

Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC)

The Economic and Social Council considers various reports of committees, funds and programmes that deal with the issue of food security and agriculture during its sessions.

Funds, Programmes and Specialized Agencies Addressing Food Issues

Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)
The Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) was established as a specialized agency of the United Nations in 1945. One of FAO's strategic objectives is to help eliminate hunger, food insecurity, and malnutrition.
World Food Programme (WFP)
Founded in 1963, WFP is the lead UN agency that responds to food emergencies and has programmes to combat hunger worldwide. Reports of the WFP of its Executive Board and on its annual performance are linked above under ECOSOC.
International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Founded in 1977, IFAD focuses on rural poverty reduction, working with poor rural populations in developing countries to eliminate poverty, hunger, and malnutrition.
World Bank
Founded in 1944, the World Bank is actively involved in funding food projects and programmes.
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP)
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was established in 1972 as the international arm providing guidance and governance to environmental issues. One of the topics that UNEP addresses currently is food security.

Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food

The Special Rapporteur is an independent expert appointed by the Human Rights Council to examine and report back on a country situation or a specific human rights theme. This is an honorary position and the expert is not a staff of the United Nations nor paid for his/her work.

Committee on World Food Security (CFS)

The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is an international and intergovernmental platform that works to ensure food security and access to nutrition. The Committee reports to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and to the FAO Conference.

In 2009 the High Level Panel of Experts (HLPE) on food security and nutrition was established as part of the reform of the international governance of food security to advise the Committee on World Food Security. The HLPE aims to improve the robustness of policy making by providing independent, evidence-based analysis and advice at the request of the CFS.