Director-General inaugurates two new Technical Rooms to enhance FAO’s performance and impact

Rome – On the margins of the 44th Session of the FAO Ministerial Conference, the Director-General QU Dongyu inaugurated two new technical rooms at the Organization’s headquarters in Rome: the Liberia Situation Room and the Netherlands Acceleration Zone. These state-of-the-art facilities are set to significantly enhance the Organization’s efficiency and effectiveness in delivering its mandate.

Responding to Crises

The Liberia Situation Room is a cutting-edge facility designed as a real-time, data and science driven decision support hub for early warning systems for shocks impacting food security.

"The Liberia Situation Room combines modern design with advanced functionality, enabling collaborative analysis and strategic planning to increase resilience and anticipatory action," said the Director-General.

“It is a cornerstone of the Financing for Shock-Driven Food Crises initiative, which is a groundbreaking financial mechanism implemented by FAO together with partners to shift responses to food crises from reactive to proactive.”

The Room monitors 12 critical risks, offering up-to-date insights at both national and sub-regional levels. Users can access, visualize, and interpret real-time data on food security risks, facilitating informed, data-driven decision-making. It also generates risk profiles tailored for re-insurance companies, thereby supporting the development of anticipatory insurance mechanisms in high-vulnerability contexts.

"The Liberia Situation Room embodies FAO’s commitment to harnessing technology and partnerships to protect the most vulnerable populations," Qu said. The Director-General expressed his deep appreciation to the Government of Liberia and the Minister for Agriculture of Liberia, H.E. J Alexandar Nuetah, who participated in the Room’s inauguration, for the generous contribution towards establishing this new facility.

Boosting Innovation

The Netherlands Acceleration Zone is designed to foster collaboration and innovation within the Organization.

"Thanks to the generous support of the Dutch Government, FAO inaugurates a unique hub for innovation, collaboration, and accelerated problem-solving," the FAO Director-General said. Qu also expressed his appreciation to H.E Jean Rummenie, Minster for Fishery, Food Security, Horticulture and Nature Conservation of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, for his country’s ongoing commitment to innovation, sustainability and the transformation of global agrifood systems.

Managed by the Office of Innovation, the Netherlands Acceleration Zone will enhance FAO’s global teamwork and further strengthen support to its Members. Its design adheres to the highest sustainability standards, incorporating measures to reduce the Organization’s carbon footprint.

"This unique hub will transform the way we work together, learn together, grow together, and collaborate together," the Director-General added.

What's next? A new hub to deal with climate issues 

During the meeting between the Minister for Agriculture of Tajikistan, H.E. Qurbon Hakimzoda, and the FAO Director-General, on the sidelines of the FAO Ministerial Conference, the Tajikistan Government announced officially the country's generous contribution for the establishment of a technical room to serve as a Climate Hub.

The Climate Hub will be located on the 6th floor of FAO headquarters. The Office of Climate Change, Biodiversity and Environment (OCB) and the Logistics Services Division (CSL) have already started to work together on a project that will provide a collaborative space for bringing together stakeholders to co-design and promote agriculture and food system solutions for confronting the challenges due to the impacts of the climate crisis.

The Tajikistan Climate Hub will be adorned with cultural heritage, sustainable wood carvings crafted by the country’s local artisans and a design that highlights the interplay between natural resources and agriculture.

Committed to supporting Members and vulnerable communities

These two new technical rooms build upon FAO’s commitment to creating dedicated spaces that enhance the Organization's capacity to support its Members and vulnerable communities.

In 2023, the Director-General inaugurated the Swiss Centre for Locusts and Migratory Pests, a result of an agreement signed by FAO and the Swiss Federal Council to refurbish the offices of FAO’s Desert Locust Information Service (DLIS).

The Centre features state-of-the-art digital technologies for modern communications, facilitating monitoring, analysis, management, and coordination activities.

Key features include facilities for video conferencing with partners in the field, a real-time display of current locust and other transboundary plant pest situations, maps, a modern classroom, and a library. Additional workstations provide flexibility to train Members’ experts and practitioners and to rapidly increase technical staff during emergencies.