The World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) have reaffirmed and expanded their collaboration in a joint effort to address pressing global challenges, including food insecurity, climate change, and supply chain disruptions. During a Partnership Review Meeting in Geneva on September 19, 2025, the two organizations reviewed their progress since signing a Memorandum of Understanding at COP28 in December 2023 and outlined future priorities.
A Partnership Built on Results
The collaboration has already yielded concrete results, leveraging the WTO’s global trade mandate and the FAO’s technical expertise. Key achievements include:
• Fisheries Subsidies: The partnership played a crucial role in the WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies by providing technical data and support to ensure the agreement aligned with sustainable development goals. Both organizations are also jointly supporting member nations in implementing this agreement through the WTO Fisheries Funding Mechanism.
• Agricultural Challenges: The organizations have worked together to combat a Jasside pest outbreak affecting cotton and other crops in West Africa, providing technical cooperation and field-level action to protect farmers’ livelihoods.
• Trade and Nutrition: In December 2024, the WTO held a Symposium on Trade and Nutrition, which was inspired by the FAO’s flagship report on global food security. The event highlighted the important link between trade policies and nutrition outcomes.
Future Focus Areas
Looking ahead, the partnership will deepen its cooperation in several key areas to build more resilient and sustainable food systems:
• Agricultural Negotiations: Continued collaboration on agricultural trade negotiations, particularly in areas central to food security and trade facilitation.
• Climate Change: Expanding joint responses to climate-related agricultural challenges, with a focus on supporting smallholder farmers and vulnerable economies.
• Data Sharing: Strengthening the sharing of global trade and agricultural data to provide policymakers with reliable information for decision-making.
According to WTO Deputy Director-General Jean-Marie Paugam, the partnership’s “complementarity has already proven its worth,” delivering “tangible, high-quality results.” Similarly, FAO Chief Economist Máximo Torero emphasized the urgency of their mission, stating that in the face of “exceptional global challenges,” open agri-food trade and well-functioning markets are a “lifeline.”