• The United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has announced that the FAO Food Price Index — a measure tracking monthly changes in international prices of a basket of food commodities — rose in July to its highest level in over two years. The index averages five commodity group price indices (cereals, vegetable oils, dairy, meat, and sugar), weighted according to average export shares, with 2014–16 as the base year.
• The FAO, a specialized UN agency headquartered in Rome, Italy, leads global efforts to end hunger, improve nutrition, and ensure food security.
• It has 195 members (194 countries plus the European Union) and operates in over 130 countries.
• Its sister bodies include the World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
• FAO also publishes key reports such as The State of the World’s Forests (SOFO), The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA), The State of Agricultural Commodity Markets (SOCO), and The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI).
• The latest index spike signals rising global food prices, which can impact both consumers and economies worldwide.