The FAO/IAEA partnership, in place since 1964, is a powerful example of interagency cooperation, unique in the UN family - a fusion of complementary mandates, common targets, joint programming, co-funding and coordinated management. Its close cooperation has brought with it greater efficiency and shared approaches, responding to the needs of Member States and providing services and results to them and the international community at large.

The Joint Centre and its associated laboratories are operated through arrangements signed by the Directors General of FAO and IAEA. The programme and budget are approved by the Governing Bodies of FAO and IAEA, and planning is carried out in close consultation and cooperation with Member States and with other branches of both organizations. The Joint Centre ensures that the technical capacities of both organizations are fully exploited in the joint operations with Member States.

Joint Programme: The work of the Joint Centre is based on the biennial programmes of FAO and IAEA, oriented by demand-driven and result-based approaches, and adopted by their Governing Bodies. The joint programme is organized in line with a programmatic structure and the implementation modalities of both organizations.

Co-funding: The Joint Division and its programme costs are borne by both organizations in a manner as agreed upon by the two Directors General. The work is financed from the assessed budgets of the Member States to FAO and IAEA and extra-budgetary funding.

Co-management: Overall guidance for the Joint Centre is provided by a Steering Committee, consisting of representatives of senior management from both organizations, where programming, budgeting, organizational structure and staffing matters, as well as appropriate recommendations to the Directors General of both organizations are discussed.

Joint staff: The Joint Centre operates with a team of about 100 scientists, technical experts and support personnel divided among offices, sections and laboratories. Both FAO and IAEA staff including those funded by FAO are stationed at the IAEA headquarters and laboratories, and work for both organizations. The Joint Centre also hosts consultants, fellows, interns and students from Member States, offering the opportunity to work in Vienna or at the FAO/IAEA Laboratories at Seibersdorf conducting research or learning new techniques that they can then take back to their countries to validate, adapt and apply.