The mandate was established in 2000 by the former Commission on Human Rights[1] which appointed the first Rapporteur, Jean Ziegler.

[2] In 2008 the second Rapporteur, Olivier De Schutter, was appointed by the United Nations Human Rights Council, the successor to the Commission.

[5] The Rapporteur is expected to report both to the Human Rights Council and to the UN General Assembly (Third Committee) on the fulfillment of the mandate.

The mandate includes: and to promote the full realization of the right to food and the adoption of measures at the national, regional and international levels," "to examine ways and means of overcoming existing and emerging obstacles," continue mainstreaming and taking into account gender and age perspectives, to submit proposals to realise Millennium Development Goal No.

1 to halve by the year 2015 the proportion of people who suffer from hunger, to work in close cooperation with all States, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, and the CESCR, and participating in and contributing to relevant conferences.