FRA Mission, Mandate and Objectives

The mission, mandate and objectives of the FRA Programme as defined by various guiding documents can be summarized as follows:

FRA Mission

"To enhance human well-being through support to member countries in the sustainable management of the world's trees and forests by providing an increased world wide access to reliable and timely forestry information".

(Based on the mission statement and goals defined in the 2000 publication FAO Strategic Plan for Forestry).




FRA Mandate

" FAO has the mandate to ".... collect, analyse, interpret and disseminate information relating to food, nutrition and agriculture" (Article I of the Basic Texts of FAO).

To 'maintain a permanent capability to provide information on the state of forest resources worldwide on a continuing basis' was recommended by the 1951 6th Session of the FAO Conference.




FRA Objectives

" FAO Medium Term Plan 2002-2007 Objectives call for 'systematically analysing, documenting and reporting on the status and trends in forest resources; developing and updating methods for forest inventory, analysis, assessment and monitoring based on common and agreed concepts and terms; and strengthening capabilities to assess forest resources and the underlying causes of deforestation and forest degradation'.




last updated:  Friday, July 19, 2002