FAO Director-General seeks funding boost to Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC)

Rome - FAO Director-General QU Dongyu today addressed a Strategic Dialogue on the Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC) with its Resource Partners and called for funding for the 2022-2025 period to be boosted to $100 million.

The FVC, a pooled funding tool that allows resource partners to respond to development challenges in a timely and cost-effective manner, received $67 million during the previous four years.

These funds enable FAO to deliver on the 4 Betters: better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life for all – leaving no one behind, in support of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, Qu said.

The Resource partners are Australia, Belgium, France, Italy, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland.

The Director-General thanked them for their support, noting that flexible funding allows FAO to better respond to the most pressing global challenges and accelerate the transition to more efficient, more inclusive, more resilient and more sustainable agrifood systems.

"We are facing a wave of unprecedented, complex and overlapping challenges that affect everyone, everywhere - demonstrating how interconnected we all are on this same small planet. We need to urgently focus on building resilience and recognize the value of enhancing cooperation in mitigating vulnerabilities and promoting peace," Qu said.

The Director-General argued for the need to move towards an approach that combines emergency responses with medium and long-term interventions, with a focus on anticipatory action and preparedness.

During today's Strategic Dialogue, Partners were invited to provide advice, ideas and feedback to help shape the FVC together going forward.