Partnering with UNIDO

The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) works to promote, dynamize and accelerate industrial development.

FAO and UNIDO work together on long-term development, particularly in agriculture, food security and rural areas, and have established a global programme that aims to recognize the interdependence of agriculture and industry.

FAO and UNIDO's flagship initiative is Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA), designed to make agrifood systems more inclusive, sustainable, and resilient through value chain development. ASTA is a global system-based program aiming to assist countries in transforming their agrifood systems by leveraging innovative partnerships and SDG-linked investments into high-potential value chains that connect producers to processing and added value to end markets.

Global Frameworks

In 2022, FAO and UNIDO signed an indefinite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which remains in effect until either party chooses to bring it to a close or refresh the terms.

The MoU has seven areas of common interest which will be fostered at the headquarters and field level:

Area 1: Cooperation in the areas of agrifood systems transformation and agribusiness value chains, in particular, the Agrifood Systems Transformation Accelerator (ASTA) global program led by UNIDO and FAO.

Area 2: Cooperation in the area of job creation, notably, Opportunities for Youth in Africa (OYA), to facilitate the creation of employment opportunities, including through entrepreneurship, in rural areas for youth in Africa, with a focus on agriculture and agribusiness.

Area 3: Cooperation in the areas of food security, food safety/control and the mitigation of environmental pollution in agrifood systems, circular economy and sustainable bioeconomy.

Area 4: Joint normative work on global issues related to zero hunger, food safety and agrifood systems.

Area 5: Potential secondment programme among officials of the organizations.

Area 6: Multilateral collaborations such as (1) the COVID-19 Global Evaluation Coalition, which works for the development of an evidence summary on COVID-19 and food security and (2) the Third Industrial Development Decade for Africa (IDDA III), which is the leading platform to communicate, discuss and explore collaboration on industrialization in Africa amongst UN and partner organizations.

Area 7: Technical assistance and other activities that contribute to the areas of agricultural investments, spatial infrastructure development (parks and corridors), the Food-Water-Energy Ecosystem nexus, digitalization, desertification and urban farming innovation.

Memberships

FAO and UNIDO are both Members of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG), a high-level forum for joint policy formation and decision-making, which guides, supports, tracks and oversees the coordination of development operations in 162 countries and territories.

Useful Links and Resources