Of the Board's 36 members, 18 are elected by the Economic and Social Council and 18 by the FAO Council. Each State Member serves a three-year term and is eligible for re-election. Elections by the Economic and Social Council are normally held in May and those by the FAO Council in November. The broader WFP membership includes both Board members and observers.
A complete list of State Members may be found in Appendix A of the General Regulations; a description of the distribution of seats may be found in Appendix B of the same document.
Composition of the Members of the Board in 2013
Elected by the FAO Council
| Elected by ECOSOC | Term of office expiring (1) |
| Cameroon
Canada
Germany
Haiti
Saudi Arabia
South Africa | Australia
Cuba
Morocco
Pakistan (3)
Spain (4)
Sudan | 31 December 2013 |
| Belgium
Brazil
Ghana (2)
Slovak Republic
Sweden
Tunisia | China
Czech Republic
Guatemala
Japan
United Kingdom
Zambia | 31 December 2014 | |
Afghanistan
Italy
Mexico
Philippines
Uganda
United States of America | India
Iraq
Netherlands
Russian Federation
Sierra Leone
Switzerland | 31 December 2015 | |
ECOSOC elections for the three-year term 2013/2014/2015 took place on 26 April and 20 December 2012.
FAO Council elections for the same three-year term took place on 5 December 2012.
(1) Term of office relates to the standard three-year periods for which State Members are elected by ECOSOC or FAO Council respectively. State Members may stand down for one or two years within this period, offering their seat to another State Member.
(2) Ghana is occupying the rotating seat. The rotating seat is to be occupied by a country of: List A- First term- 2012/2013/2014, List B- Second Term- 2015/2016/2017, List A- Third Term- 2018/2019/2020, and List C- Fourth Term- 2021/2022/2023.
(3) The Republic of Korea was elected for the term 2011/2012/2013. However following a "List B Agreement", the Republic of Korea resigned in favour of Pakistan effective 1 January 2013. Pakistan will occupy the seat for the remainder of the term i.e. until 31 December 2013.
(4) Norway was elected for the term 2011/2012/2013. However following a "List D Agreement", Norway resigned in favour of Spain effective 1 January 2013. Spain will occupy the seat for the remainder of the term i.e. until 31 December 2013. (Spain already occupied another seat in 2011 and 2012, following an agreement with Luxembourg).
