FAO was founded in 1945 with a mandate to raise levels of nutrition and standards of living, to improve agricultural productivity, and to better the condition of rural populations. Today, FAO is the largest specialised agency in the United Nations system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and rural development. An intergovernmental organisation, FAO has 175 Member Nations plus a member organisation, the European Community. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life.
In Thailand, FAO continues to work closely with the government primarily through the Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives (MOAC) and has also become involved in interagency work. FAO chairs the thematic working group on Poverty Alleviation, Rural Development and Food Security. A proposal was also signed by UNDP and FAO for a project on gender in poverty. In addition four Technical Co-operation Program (TCP) projects and nine Telefood projects were ongoing during 2000.
http://www.un.or.th/UNCT/FAO/fao.html