The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (French: Organisation des Nations Unies pour l'alimentation et l'agriculture; Spanish: Organización de las Naciones Unidas para la Agricultura y la Alimentación; Chinese: 聯合國糧食及農業組織; Russian: Продовольственная и сельскохозяйственная организация, Arabic: منظمة الأغذية والزراعة للأمم المتحدة ) is a specialised agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Serving both developed and developing countries, FAO acts as a neutral forum where all nations meet as equals to negotiate agreements and debate policy. FAO is also a source of knowledge and information, and helps developing countries and countries in transition modernise and improve agriculture, forestry and fisheries practices, ensuring goo