Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the oldest permanent specialized agency of the United Nations, was formally established on 16 October 1945 in Quebec, Canada, before the United Nations. It became a specialized agency of the United Nations on 14 December 1946, with its headquarters in Rome, Italy. The purpose of the organization is to raise the level of nutrition and the standard of living of the population, to improve the production and distribution of agricultural products, to improve the economic situation of rural areas and peasants, to contribute to the development of the world economy and to ensure the freedom of mankind from hunger.