Cluster Coordination Guidance

This guidance material is intended for FAO staff, in particular FAO Representatives and Emergency Coordinators at country level. It may also be useful for FAO staff at regional and headquarters levels and other agriculture and food-security stakeholders.

It provides (i) essential information on the purpose and functioning of clusters, and the role and responsibilities of FAO within a cluster system, and (ii) practical guidance on what FAO staff need to do to fulfil those responsibilities. The focus is on clusters at the country level where FAO may lead, co-lead, or be a member of clusters dealing with food security, agriculture, livelihoods or nutrition.

Part I (chapters 1 and 2) provides essential information in the form of answers to frequently asked questions. Part II (chapters 3 to 6) provides practical guidance in the form of short aide-mémoire. The annexes provide key reference materials. All chapters provide cross-references to other documents where more detailed information and guidance can be found.