The UN System Network on Rural Development and Food Security is a global partnership approach towards tackling rural development challenges at the country level. Established in 1997 by the UN Administrative Committee on Coordination (today UN System Chief Executives Board for Coordination).
The UN System Network on Rural Development and Food Security brings together key actors for the achievement of the shared goals of "food for all" and rural poverty reduction. Comprising 20 UN organizations, the UN System Network is an inter-agency mechanism for follow-up to the World Food Summit (1996) and World Food Summit: five years later (2002) and supports the International Land Coalition. The Network Secretariat is managed by FAO, in close collaboration with IFAD and WFP.
The UN System Network aims to:
support efforts by Governments and its partners to implement the World Food Summit Plan of Action and rural development and food security programmes;
reinforce ties between UN System organizations and other stakeholders, notably NGOs and civil society organizations;
foster synergies between Network members;
exchange and disseminate information, experiences and best practices.