Supplying herders affected by drought with fodder for their animals.

19 August marks the anniversary of the bombing of the United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, in which 22 people lost their lives. In 2008, the UN General Assembly designated this day as World Humanitarian Day in an effort to raise public awareness of the crucial role that humanitarian assistance plays in improving people's lives worldwide, and to recognize the contributions of those who risk their lives delivering it.

Today, on World Humanitarian Day, FAO celebrates the spirit of our staff: their humanitarian work in the field and their ongoing efforts to build resilience in communities around the globe.

The challenges involved in that work are great.

Around 2.5 billion people whose livelihoods depend on crops, fish, forests and livestock are continually threatened by hazards and crises.

When disasters strike, FAO immediately helps families regain the means to provide for themselves, ensuring a harvest does not pass by when families critically need that food and income.

But the same time, we work to address the root causes that put communities at risk, and try to reduce their vulnerability and increase their resilience. In many contexts, saving livelihoods saves lives.

Our staff's commitment to communities is proactive and long-term. They work with communities - and the institutions which support them - to prevent disasters and mitigate their impact while ensuring development gains are sustainable.

They also work tirelessly and in increasingly difficult conditions to assist those most in need.

Their humanitarian efforts are a critical part of FAO's wider efforts to build the resilience of farming, fishing, herding communities.

Today FAO also pays tribute to the strength and perseverance of the world's farmers, fishers and herders, who continue to sow their fields, tend their animals and bring food to markets and homes, oftentimes while coping with difficult circumstances or struggling to adapt to changing conditions.

FAO humanitarian heroes We asked a few of our colleagues: "Why do you do what you do?"

This is what they told us.

To see additional profiles of humanitarian workers at FAO and elsewhere in the UN system, visit the World Humanitarian Day 2014 website.