ABSTRACT
The professionals in Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) are staff members with posts graded PI to P5 in accordance with the United Nations system. FAO salaries generally permit a comfortable standard of living, their level can arouse strong feelings. Many of the people who vote for aid to the Third World on grounds of conscience and principle see FAO salaries as excessive. The view of the original United Nations when it was established was that its staff salaries should be high enough to attract the best-qualified people in the world. As in most other organizations, promotion in FAO can either proceed rapidly, or take a very long time. There are physical risks in working for FAO, but not significantly higher than in many other employments. One of the strengths of FAO has been its team of experienced field workers ready to adapt to the conditions of one country then move on to another, and another.
