The Principles for Responsible Investment in Agriculture and Food Systems were approved by the41st Session of CFS on October 15, 2014.

The Principles address all types of investment in agriculture and food systems - public, private, large, small - and in the production and processing spheres. They provide a framework that all stakeholders can use when developing national policies, programmes,regulatory frameworks, corporate social responsibility programmes, individual agreements and contracts.

They are voluntary and non-binding, but represent the first time that governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, UN agencies, development banks, foundations, research institutions and academia have agreed on what constitutes responsible investment in agriculture and food systems that contribute to food security and nutrition.