FAO's celebration of the International Day of Forests and Water this year raised awareness of the key role played by forests in the provision of freshwater and food security for the planet. 

At FAO headquarters, the Director General opened a special event on Forests and Water. This was followed by presentations explaining forests' integral role in water security and supply. The IES Coordinator, Bernardette Neves, gave a presentation entitled: Forest and Water in Practice. This focused on the Rio Rural, Brazil case study, highlighting how different practices, from existing public programmes and private initiatives, have been integrated through the Rio Rural Partnership have invested in the landscape. These investments have been combined to provide multiple incentives to support farmers overcome adoption barriers to improve their productivity, and protect forests and restore riparian areas.