Renewed at 75, with a sense of purpose as relevant as ever

THE United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) was born in the wake of catastrophe. Three-quarters of a century later, its mission has been made more relevant to the world at large by another global scourge.

I won’t deny it. When I took over as director-general of the FAO last year, I could barely contain my emotions. FAO’s foundation after all had preceded — if only by a matter of days — that of the United Nations itself. That I, born into a Chinese peasant family, would come to lead such a venerable institution was awe-inspiring enough.