Synopsis (short abstract)The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) was established in 1945 with a mandate to ensure global food security. Over the years, it has supported member countries and the international community in raising levels of nutrition, improving agricultural productivity, bettering the lives of rural populations and contributing to the growth of the world economy. Today, FAO’s staff of over 3 000 women and men across the world work to support the Organization in achievin g its vision of a world free from hunger and malnutrition. In a context where agriculture had to compete with many other priorities on the development agenda, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf launched numerous initiatives during his mandate – spanning 1994 to 2011 – to reposition the Organization and adapt its structures and operations to respond efficiently and effectively to the complex challenges affecting food security in the 21st century. Managing FAO in turbulent times – Fr om 1994 to 2011 presents a snapshot of these changes, achieved at a time when FAO was facing increasing demands for support from its Members, yet dealing with severe budget constraints. The reforms, some of which are still being implemented, are making FAO a leaner organization, more focused on results and better equipped to support the crucial role of agriculture in global wellbeing.