Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations was founded in 1945. Today, FAO is one of the largest specialized agencies in the United Nations system and the lead agency for agriculture, forestry, fisheries and rural development. Since its inception, FAO has worked to alleviate poverty and hunger by promoting agricultural development, improved nutrition and the pursuit of food security - defined as the access of all people at all times to the food they need for an active and healthy life.

A specific priority of the Organization is encouraging sustainable agriculture and rural development, a long-term strategy for increasing food production and food security while conserving and managing natural resources. The aim is to meet the needs of both present and future generations by promoting development that does not degrade the environment and is technically appropriate, economically viable and socially acceptable.

Go to: FAO home page

Forest-related reporting to FAO

Forestry has been part of FAO's mandate from its establishment in 1945. Forestry is specifically included in the global goals of the Organization in relation to its contribution to economic and social progress, to environmental stabilization and to the conservation, improvement and sustainable utilization of natural resources.

The mission is:
    "to enhance human well-being through support to member countries in the sustainable management of the world's trees and forests."
The FAO Forestry Department promotes national and international action for the effective conservation, sustainable management and efficient utilization of forest and related resources as an integral element of land use systems.

The Forest Resources Assessment (FRA) programme at FAO leads the Organization's effort to generate information and knowledge on the extent of the world's forest resources, their condition, uses and values. The most recent major output of the programme was the publication of the results of the Global Forest Resources Assessment 2005 (FRA 2005).

The FAO Yearbook of Forest Products is a compilation of statistical data on basic forest products for all countries and territories of the world. It contains time series on the production and trade of forest products and data on the direction of trade. This publication is made possible by the cooperation of governments which supply most of the information by replying to questionnaires. Beginning in 1999, information for production and trade was gathered using a Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire supported by the Forestry Department of FAO, the Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), the Statistical Office of the European Communities (EUROSTAT) and the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO).


Last updated: August 2007