Country participation is a large component of the FRA data collection process. 186 national correspondents were officially nominated for FRA 2005, many of whom were backed by a team of national experts. National correspondents work in close collaboration with FAO staff to compile and report data. The collaboration with countries has grown stronger with each assessment. For FRA 2020, 345 national correspondents and alternates were nominated.

This close involvement of countries through the global network of national correspondents is crucial to the success of the FRA process and results in the better use of existing data (better estimates, improved capacity) and an increased feeling of ownership of the process by countries.

The tasks of the national correspondent to FRA are the following:

• act as focal points for communications with FAO on matters related to the Global Forest Resources Assessment Programme;
• provide feedback on the design and process of the Global Forest Resources Assessment   (FRA) — including country reports, special studies and a global remote sensing survey;
• process and submit national data to FRA, including coordinating of inputs from different national institutions as well as taking national reporting to other international processes into account;
• act as point of contact for identification of national specialists for the remote sensing survey; when it takes place,  and selected special studies which form part of FRA;
• verify and validate national information for FRA  before publication;
• disseminate information within their country on the Global Forest Resources Assessment process and related activities;
• contribute to specific regional activities relating to FRA;
• participate in meetings and workshops organized in the context of the Global Forest Resources Assessment Programme.

For contact details, please refer to the specific country report available at:
http://www.fao.org/forest-resources-assessment/fra-2020/country-reports/en/

For feedback or questions: please write to [email protected]