UNITAR and FAO Renew Collaboration on Capacity Development until 2020

June 2015, Geneva, Switzerland - With the aims of strengthening human resource capacities of UN Member States, in particular developing countries and countries with economies in transition, the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) renewed a Memorandum of Understanding to continue their joint efforts contributing to capacity development in rural and agricultural development and food security until 2020.

This renewed partnership is fruit of the excellent results that both institutions have achieved through the implementation of joint activities for the past five years. For example, both have collaborated in building the capacities of development professionals in the area of information and communication management for development through the e-Learning course“Innovative Collaboration for Development” (ICfD). The vast majority of these professionals come from African, Caribbean and Pacific States. These excellent results are also fruit of the collaboration with the Information Management Resource Kit (IMARK) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Co-operation (CTA).

The ICfD course is just an example of the potential that the partnership between UNITAR and FAO has. This cooperation will continue to bare fruits developing the capacities of professionals in the area of rural and agricultural development and food security until 2020. Both institutions look forward to the progressive collaboration in these years to come.