The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization FAO aims to improve the global nutritional status and living standard of the growing population through more efficient and sustainable agricultural production, fishery, forestry and rural development. Finland has been a FAO member since its establishment in 1945.

In Finland the FAO affairs are the responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and Ministry for Foreign Affairs. The membership fee (about 2.1 million euros in 2006) is paid from the budget of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

The Finnish FAO Committee under the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry plans and coordinates Finland's activities in the organisation. The FAO Committee is chaired by Director-General Veli-Pekka Talvela from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Finland's membership in the EU introduced new features to the possibilities to influence the work of the FAO, whose activity is subject to comprehensive EU coordination.

Related links
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations FAO
http://www.fao.org/

UN Millennium Development Goals
http://www.un.org/millenniumgoals/
http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/

Further information: Marja-Liisa Tapio-Biström, International Affairs Group,
tel. +358-(0)9-160 54203