FAO Committee on Forestry: Director-General urges better integration of forests into food security and development policies

New reports spotlight forests’ role in food security and global restoration efforts

As FAO's highest global intergovernmental body on forestry, COFO has been fostering international collaboration, policy dialogue and technical guidance on forest-related issues since 1971.

Rome - The 28th Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Committee on Forestry (COFO) opened on Monday with a call for stronger global action to address mounting threats to forests while fully recognizing their critical contribution to food security, livelihoods, climate resilience and sustainable agrifood systems.

Welcoming senior government officials, forestry experts and international partners, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu highlighted COFO's role as FAO's highest global intergovernmental body on forestry, fostering international collaboration, policy dialogue and technical guidance on forest-related issues since 1971.

“With forests facing many threats, such as deforestation, wildfire, pests and unsustainable management, the role of COFO is more important than ever,” Qu said.

More than 5 billion people rely to some extent on forests for their livelihoods, while forests and trees contribute significantly to the sustainability, productivity and resilience of agrifood systems worldwide. In some forest-dependent communities, forest foods provide up to 80 percent of daily protein intake and account for half of all food consumed by weight.

The Director-General stressed the need to better integrate forests into food security and development policies, noting that many of their contributions remain insufficiently reflected in national statistics and strategies.