FAO begins process of implementing “One Country One Priority Product” Initiative

October 26, Rome - The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has started implementing a new initiative helping countries promote their most distinctive agricultural products, in an important step towards transforming agri-food systems.

“We need to move forward efficiently and effectively with concrete actions”, Director-General QU Dongyu said in opening remarks to the first meeting of a Steering Committee for the Global Action on Green Development of Special Agricultural Products: “One Country One Priority Product” (OCOP).

The initiative, which was launched last month aims to promote locally known, available and underutilized agri-food products that have the potential to be marketed in regional and international markets. These are defined as Special Agricultural Products - SAPs.

Their unique qualities and special characteristics associated with geographical locations, farming practices and cultural heritages, can significantly contribute to ensuring food security and healthy diets, supporting farmers’ livelihoods and economic growth while protecting the environment and biodiversity. 

“One Country One Priority Product” - OCOP will focus on 5 key actions:

• Finding solutions for existing and emerging global challenges;
• Optimizing agri-food production systems;
• Conserving and utilizing biodiversity and natural resources efficiently;
• Minimizing chemical inputs and negative impacts of the agri-food sector on the environment; and
• Using traditional knowledge, culture and experience to transform agri-food systems to be MORE efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable.

Under the initiative, the Green Development of SAPs will cover 3 agro-ecological regions: tropics, drylands and mountainous regions and 4 thematic areas: production, storage, processing and marketing.

QU said the first priority would be the green development of crop product value chains – food crops, cash crops, horticulture crops and forestry, later followed by, livestock and fishery products.

The Steering Committee is chaired by Director-General QU and composed of representatives of FAO management, key technical divisions and FAO Regional Offices. Its role is to coordinate, oversee and supervise the activities and decide on pilot countries, SAPs, implementation modalities, and funding mechanisms. ENDS