Environmental Management

Accurate, up-to-date, geo-referenced environmental information from ground and satellite sources are essential elements of food security assessments and policy, as well as environmental management at national, regional and global levels. Integrated use of information can be applied to a variety of environmental and rural development issues and is important for the generation of products and tools such as meta-databases, maps, guidelines and methodologies. Users must be able to apply the systems at the national, regional and global levels for meaningful participation in the implementation of environmental conventions, global observation and early warning systems, and for monitoring and assessment of the impact of environment, agricultural and rural development programmes. Advances in information technology and computing capacity allow environmental and socio-economic data and information to be processed, analyzed and presented in a more integrated manner than in the past.

FAO provides Member Countries, at their request, with the required technical tools to address environmental, developmental and land resources problems in the agriculture and rural sectors, especially data and information systems that allow integrated analyses of the environmental, social and economic dimensions. Its environmental geo-information infrastructure and services cover information systems, remote sensing and ground-based agro-meteorological and other environmental observations to address a variety of issues related to environment and natural resources management, food production and food security, coastal zone monitoring, desertification, biodiversity, energy and climate change.

FAO is responsible for supporting the implementation of a number of key areas of the international environmental conventions, agreements and obligations including the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention to Combat Desertification. In this context, Member Countries, international organizations and NGOs are seeking technical assistance and advice on issues emanating from the Conventions that need to be addressed and integrated into national policies and environmental and natural resources management practices.

• Capacity Building for an Integrated Information Management System (IIMS) (TCP)
  
• Strengthening Rangeland Rehabilitation and Development (TCP)
  
• Design and Formulation of a National Action Plan to Combat Desertification (TCP)
  
• Irrigation Improvement: Environmental Component (TF)
  

• Land Use Planning for Sustainable Agricultural Development and Environmental Protection (TF)
  

• Fortalecimiento del Sistema Nacional de Bioseguridad (TCP)
  

• Sustainable Development Department "SD Dimensions - Environment"
  
• Sustainable Development Department "SD Dimensions - Geoinformation, monitoring and assessment"
  
• Global Information and Early Warning System on Food and Agriculture (GIEWS)
  
• World Information and Early Warning System on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
  
• Biological Diversity
  
• Desertification
  
• Agriculture 21 - Nature conservation and land resources
  
• Fisheries Department - Environment
  
• Forest Harvesting, Engineering, Environment