FAO Food Price Index

About FAO Food Price Index

• The Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) food price index is a measure of the monthly change in international prices of a basket of food commodities.
• It consists of the average of five commodity group price indices (cereal, vegetable, dairy, meat and sugar), weighted with the average export shares.
• Base year: 2014-16

Key facts about FAO

• It is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger and improve nutrition and food security.
• Its goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives.
• Head Quarter: Rome (Italy).
• Member countries: With 195 members – 194 countries and the European Union, FAO works in over 130 countries worldwide.
• Its sister bodies are the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
• Reports published by the FAO: The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO), The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO), The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)

Q1) What is the World Food Programme?

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the food assistance branch of the United Nations (UN). It is the world’s largest humanitarian organization dedicated to addressing hunger and food security issues. It was established in 1961 and became a part of the United Nations in 1965. Its headquarters are located in Rome, Italy.

Source: World food price index back at two-year low despite rice surge, Food and Agriculture Organization says