FAO and OHRLLS collaborate to ensure a better future for LDCs, LLDCs, and SIDS

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) held their second virtual coordination meeting on 1 December 2020. The meeting focused on opportunities for collaboration between the two agencies, particularly in the lead-up to the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries (LDC5), which will be held in Doha, Qatar from 23 to 27 January 2022.

LDC5 aims to build an ambitious new programme of action for LDCs, and FAO confirmed its interest to support the preparatory process by raising awareness and presenting evidence around the challenges LDCs face when it comes to food security and nutrition.

FAO is part and an active member of the Interagency Consultative Group (IACG) of Small Island developing States (SIDS), Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs). The organization’s recently established Office of Small Developing States, Least Developing Countries, and Landlocked Developing Countries (OSL) addresses multidimensional challenges faced by SIDS, LDCs and LLDCs, facilitating FAO’s approach in meeting the special needs of the most vulnerable populations and countries.

Discussions during the coordination meeting also touched on FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative (HiH), which is an evidence-based, country-led and country-owned initiative. HiH aims to accelerate agricultural transformation and sustainable rural development to eradicate poverty (SDG 1) and end hunger and all forms of malnutrition (SDG2). The initiative prioritizes countries where national capacities and international support are the most limited or where operational challenges, including natural- or man-made crises, are the greatest. It brings massive geospatial, biophysical and socio-economic data and analysis to improve investment decision-making, and it mobilizes diverse means of implementation through an innovative matchmaking approach to partnerships.