30 June 2014 Indigenous peoples, local communities and private smallholders own or manage a growing proportion of the world's forests and can play a significant role in tackling deforestation and reducing poverty - especially if they band together in producer organizations, say two new publications released today by FAO and a group of its partners. [more]
Forests and family farms are part of an integrated productive system for indigenous peoples, local forest communities, and smallholders living in forested landscapes. Together forests and family farms deliver ecosystem services and benefits for livelihoods and well-being. This infographic developed by the Forest and Farm Facility at the occasion of COFO and the International Year of family Farming illustrates the relationship between forests and family farms and highlights the advantages of forest and farm producer getting organized in order to improve the access to market and the income, to amplify their voice in decision making, and to ensure tenure rights, and human well-being. [more]
Countries should put more policy emphasis on maintaining and enhancing the vital contributions of forests to livelihoods, food, health and energy, according to FAO's flagship publication The State of the World's Forests (SOFO), published today. [more]
