FAO Agricola Medal

About FAO Agricola Medal

• Conferred by: It is one of the highest honours awarded by the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations.
  • Year: It has been conferred since 1977. 
• It is conferred to distinguished individuals who have played an exceptional role in advancing efforts toward global food security, improved nutrition and agricultural development.
• It is conferred by the FAO Director-General on extraordinary leaders who have demonstrated commitment and action in support of FAO’s mandate to eradicate hunger, reduce poverty, and ensure food security and nutrition for all.
• The medal which is in the form of a coin is being issued in gold and silver and the proceeds are utilized for sponsoring projects for the advancement of the rural people.
• Recepients from India: Apart form Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Indian personalities such as former Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was conferred with it in 2008.
  • Additionally, in 1979, Jayaprakash Narayan was selected for the medal.
• The first “Agricola” medal was issued to honour Dr B. R Sen, a former Director-General of FAO, who was instrumental in launching the “Freedom From Hunger” campaign.
• The award has been conferred upon several distinguished global leaders, including King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, former French President Jacques Chirac, former Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

About Food and Agriculture Organisation

• The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger.
• Objective: The 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.
• Established: It was established in 1945.
• Membership: It has a membership of 194 countries and the European Union.
  • It works in over 130 countries worldwide.
  • Note: India is a founding member of FAO.
• Headquarters: Rome, Italy
• Governing body: It is composed of the Conference, Council, Council Committees, Technical Committees, and Regional Conferences.
• Reports published by the FAO: It publishes numerous reports such as 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), State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) Report.
• Important initiatives of FAO: World Food Price Index, State of the World’s Forests Report, Codex Alimentarius, Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS).