Ten years ago, an agreement was signed at the headquarters of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) in Rome to establish the FAO Liaison Office with Russia. To mark the occasion, a press briefing was held on 5 February at the organisation’s Moscow office to review its achievements.

During the event, FAO Director in Moscow, Oleg Kobyakov, outlined the key areas of the office’s activities. According to him, one of the main priorities is the financing of FAO’s technical programmes. For example, in 2020, Russia made a voluntary contribution of US$10 million to combat desert locusts in East Africa. He emphasised that since the Moscow office’s establishment, Russia’s contributions to FAO projects have approached US$40 million.

Kobyakov highlighted that the FAO Liaison Office with Russia disseminates information about the organisation’s work through report publications, symposiums, and student hackathons. Additionally, over the past two years, the office has facilitated FAO’s cooperation with the Eurasian Economic Commission and maintained working contacts with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO).

The office also plays a crucial role in strengthening ties with BRICS member states, as Kobyakov noted in an exclusive comment to TV BRICS.

“BRICS countries are exerting an increasingly significant influence on the agricultural sector and food security. […] Therefore, we maintain contact with each presiding nation: with the Russian side and now with the Brazilian side. In Moscow, we are in close contact with the Brazilian embassy”

Oleg Kobyakov Director of the FAO Liaison Office with Russia

He also mentioned that FAO has repeatedly expressed support for the BRICS grain exchange project.

“We believe that a certain degree of de-monopolisation in the regulation of prices within this segment of the agricultural market will contribute to price stabilisation, a reduction in costs, and greater predictability of the grain market. Ultimately, this will positively impact food security for both BRICS member states and grain-importing countries,” Kobyakov said.

Victoria Kalinin, Communications Officer for FAO’s Regional Office for Europe and Central Asia, also spoke at the briefing. Reflecting on the upcoming 80th anniversary of FAO’s establishment, she highlighted the organisation’s major achievements, including the founding of the Committee on World Food Security in 1974, the eradication of onchocerciasis (“river blindness”) in 2002, and the complete elimination of rinderpest in 2011, among others.

Meanwhile, FAO Moscow Press Secretary Vladimir Mikheev summarised the key outcomes of the Moscow office’s activities in 2024. According to him, the office held over 50 events featuring FAO experts, published four quarterly bulletins and thematic reports, and released the book “Millet of Russia,” aimed at promoting millet cultivation in the country and across the Eurasian region.

Lyudmila Orlova, President of the National Movement for Conservation Agriculture non-profit partnership, told TV BRICS that the organisation actively collaborates with FAO. In particular, FAO provides valuable information on modern agricultural trends and assists in finding experts for conferences and research initiatives.

FAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations leading international efforts to combat hunger and ensure food security.

Photo: TV BRICS