2021
 24 December 2021 Women-led cooperatives pave a path to independence and benefit rural communities. Shanta Neupane had a vision. From Panauti Municipality, in central Nepal, she could see how hard women in the rural forest and farming communities around her worked in their family smallholdings, helping to feed their households. [more] |
 15 December 2021 A new toolkit published by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today aims to help connect national forest and farm producer organizations to climate change finance globally. [more] |
 10 December 2021 Mountain regions around the world have long held a fascination for visitors, drawn by the rugged natural landscapes, outdoor activities, cooler summer temperatures and unique mountain cultures. [more] |
 10 December 2021 Sustainable tourism plays a key role in boosting livelihoods, poverty alleviation, and environmental conservation in mountainous areas, according to a new report launched by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and UNWTO at an International Mountain Day 2021 celebration event. [more] |
 10 December 2021 Ethical fashion has enormous potential to change lives for the better.For many years now, I have been collaborating on collections with women from developing countries in Asia, Africa, South America and the Caribbean. [more] |
 29 November 2021 Protecting and restoring forests, as well as unlocking their potential to ensure livelihoods, green development, and a more sustainable outlook for humanity, were key points discussed during European Forest Week and Foresta2021 by the Joint Session of the UNECE Committee on Forests and the Forest Industry and the FAO European Forestry Commission. [more] |
 26 November 2021 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has won an award for developing new methods to monitor a Sustainable Development Goal indicator on the amount of green vegetation covering the world’s mountains, using satellite images and modelling. [more] |
 23 November 2021 Boosting the capacity of forests and agrosilvopastoral systems in drylands to alleviate poverty and contribute to food security was the focus of an FAO expert meeting this month. Hosted by Tanzania, the Second Session of the Committee on Forestry's Working Group on Dryland Forests and Agrosilvopastoral Systems was attend by about 40 member countries, as well as non-member countries, intergovernmental organizations and non-governmental organizations. [more] |
 21 November 2021 Experts, policymakers, business leaders and national delegates will gather at Foresta2021 and European Forest Week , 22-25 November 2021, to discuss strategic solutions for the future of forests. Foresta2021 is the joint session of the UN Economic Commission for Europe’s Committee on Forests and the Forest Industry; and FAO's European Forestry Commission. [more] |
 18 November 2021 Producing sound data on forests and land-use has become easier with the launch of a new phase of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations’ (FAO) innovative state-of-the-art forest and land monitoring platform SEPAL . [more] |
 17 November 2021 FAO has installed a prototype rooftop farm at its Rome headquarters to highlight how innovative technology can help increase access to healthy diets from sustainable agri-food systems. [more] |
 16 November 2021 Africa’s Great Green Wall (GGW) programme to combat desertification in the Sahel region is not only crucial to the battle against climate change but also makes commercial sense for investors, a new study led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and published in Nature Sustainability shows. [more] |
 11 November 2021 At an event at COP26 in Glasgow, a new $345 million, seven-year program, The Food Systems, Land Use and Restoration Impact Program (FOLUR), will launch projects in 27 countries, targeting the production and value chains of eight key commodities: beef, cocoa, coffee, maize, palm oil, rice, soy, and wheat. FOLUR aims to transform global food and land use systems through a Global Platform and 27 country projects that restore degraded landscapes and intensify sustainable land management practices. [more] |
 10 November 2021 An ambitious new initiative announced today aims to reduce commodity-driven deforestation and restore forest landscapes, led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Resources Institute (WRI) with support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). [more] |
 8 November 2021 Around a third of global anthropogenic emissions come from our food systems, largely through agricultural practices and land-use change. As the global population grows, and food production is increasingly affected by degradation and climate change impacts, it’s clear that widespread change is required. FAO is seeking to strengthen its contribution to the broad-based alliances for change that are critically needed to transform current unequal and unsustainable development pathways – by becoming a Global Landscapes Forum (GLF) charter member. [more] |
 6 November 2021 Agricultural expansion drives almost 90 percent of global deforestation – an impact much greater than previously thought, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) said when releasing the first findings of its new Global Remote Sensing Survey today. [more] |
 2 November 2021 A high-level dialogue led by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) will outline urgent actions needed to scale up efforts to halt deforestation and degradation at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) later this week. Leaders of UN agencies and other CPF members will highlight individual and joint actions to accelerate efforts to protect the world’s forests, and halt deforestation is support of Paris Agreement and the UN global forest goals, including through a CPF Joint Initiative on Turning the Tide on Deforestation. [more] |
 2 November 2021 Forestry in its various forms – protection, restoration, and enhanced sustainable use – can build natural assets, absorb vast quantities of GHGs, conserve biodiversity, protect water catchments, and supply the world with materials. It doesn’t hold all the answers, and it has its own challenges, but it will be a big part of the solution if we are to head off disaster. [more] |
 2 November 2021 Partnerships are key to advancing the restoration of the world’s degraded land, according to an annual report by The Restoration Initiative issued today. The Global Environment Facility initiative brings together the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the United Nations Environment Programme and key in-country partners to restore degraded landscapes across ten countries in Africa and Asia. [more] |
 29 October 2021 Trees are the lungs, liver and beating heart of the world’s cities, and they are fundamental to creating healthy, liveable and sustainable cities around the globe. FAO and the Arbor Day Foundation are connecting cities around the world in a network dedicated to reinforcing the most successful approaches to managing urban trees and forests. [more] |
 26 October 2021 As leaders gather for the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference , it is vital that they recognize two important facts. The first is that we cannot reach climate goals without protecting and sustainably managing the carbon-absorbing forests that cover a third of the Earth’s land surface. The second is that we cannot protect forests without Indigenous Peoples. [more] |
 21 October 2021 Restoring and sustainably managing forests to maximize their positive contributions to rural livelihoods and food security is a key challenge for the Near East and North Africa , the 25th Session of the Near East Forestry and Range Commission (NEFRC) heard this week. [more] |
 17 October 2021 Acorns from oak trees hold potential to contribute to diversifying diets and better nutrition, according to a new FAO report published today. Oak acorns have been part of human diets for thousands of years in many countries around the world, including many African countries. [more] |
 12 October 2021 Scaling up assistance to forest and farm smallholders would provide benefits at a planetary scale in the face of climate change, according to a new FAO policy brief published today. Smallholders produce as much as USD 1.5 trillion worth of food, fuel, timber and non-timber products each year, making them collectively by far the world’s largest private-sector player. [more] |
 11 October 2021 Fast-growing trees including poplars and willows have a major role to play in addressing today’s global challenges, including climate change mitigation and economic recovery from COVID-19 pandemic, the 26th session of the International Poplar Commission and Other Fast-Growing Trees Sustaining People and the Environment (IPC) heard last week. [more] |
 7 October 2021 Urgent action is needed to prioritise mountain ecosystems in order to protect them from the current climate crisis and empower mountain people to build resilient livelihoods, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said today at Expo 2020 Dubai. [more] |
 30 September 2021 Wild forest products such as cork, natural resins, mushrooms, medicinal plants, nuts and berries have huge potential to contribute to green growth in Europe and to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, according to a white paper issued today. [more] |
 30 September 2021 The first ever stocktake of restoring Africa’s forests and landscapes, launched this week during Africa Climate Week, shows that more needs to be done to fully tap the enormous opportunity for the continent to return land to sustainable production, protect biodiversity, and shield livelihoods in the battle against climate change. [more] |
 28 September 2021 Increasing the use of wood in building sustainable housing can help combat climate change and support the global transition towards a sustainable and circular bioeconomy, a webinar heard last week. [more] |
 27 September 2021 Jyoti Patil from India has won the GROW Summer School innovation contest focused on improving smallholders’ livelihoods through agrobiodiversity in fragile ecosystems. [more] |
 24 September 2021 Addressing climate change, land degradation and conflict in humanitarian interventions can lead to ‘game-changing’ solutions for dryland ecosystems and their communities, according to a new discussion paper launched today at the United Nations Food Systems Summit in New York. [more] |
 24 September 2021 Direct support to community-managed funds will help address challenges including climate change, biodiversity loss and rural poverty in the Brazilian Amazon, a virtual event hosted by the Forest and Farm Facility heard yesterday. [more] |
 22 September 2021 The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) has reopened its call for nominations for the Wangari Maathai Forest Champions Award , an honour granted to an individual who has made extraordinary efforts to improve the world’s forests and the lives of the people who depend on them. [more] |
 13 September 2021 The Latin America and Caribbean Forestry Commission highlighted the strategic role of the region’s forests for improving life, combatting climate change and halting biodiversity loss. [more] |
 10 September 2021 The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) joined forces this week to train nine young people to become champions for conservation and forests. [more] |
 8 September 2021 This year, World Environment Day saw the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, which aims to mobilize hundreds of millions of people in a landmark effort to heal the planet. [more] |
 3 September 2021 Preliminary data just released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations show how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected paper and paperboard production around the world. Paper production plummeted but paperboard production increased during 2020. [more] |
 25 August 2021 Forests and trees play a vital role in meeting the world's increasing demand for water and need to be managed for water-related ecosystem services, according to a new guide co-published by the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO), the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, the United States Forest Service and partners, and launched today at World Water Week. [more] |
 18 August 2021 As many countries suffer wildfires due to soaring temperatures, FAO Forestry Officer Peter Moore explains that to reduce the damage caused by wildfires, governments must introduce sustainable forest and land management practices before blazes begin. [more] |
 13 August 2021 Young people aged 18-25 now have until 14 August to apply to become young champions for forests and nature. Successful applicants will be invited to attend a three-day workshop from 6 to 9 September 2021 in Marseille, France, on the sidelines of the World Conservation Congress 2021. [more] |
 9 August 2021 Constituting only 6 percent of the world population, Indigenous Peoples are nevertheless vital stewards of the environment. 28 percent of the world’s land surface, including some of the most ecologically intact and biodiverse forest areas, are primarily managed by Indigenous Peoples, families, smallholders and local communities. [more] |
 9 August 2021 The running fresh water of the Amazon River is a welcoming sound to the peoples of the indigenous resguardo (reserve) in Puerto Nariño, southern Colombia. This watercourse is the only access to the banks of rivers, lakes, flood plains and mainland areas that connect the 22 communities where the Tikuna, Cocama and Yagua peoples live. [more] |
 9 August 2021 On International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples, David Kaimowitz, Senior Forestry Officer at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Manager of the Forest and Farm Facility , explains why empowering Indigenous Peoples can help fight our climate, nature and health crises. [more] |
 9 August 2021 An FAO-GEF forest conservation project helps indigenous communities conserve biodiversity and find new ways for the forest to provide for them, not only through the commercialisation of wood, but also through non-wood products. [more] |
 3 August 2021 Tokyo 2020 has pledged to be the most sustainable Olympics yet. The sustainability concepts include strengthening the sustainable consumption and production of forest products to replace non-renewable materials and sources of energy. [more] |
 2 August 2021 In northern Cambodia, a reforestation project has given a lifeline to the environment and community. FAO's Forest Landscape Restoration Mechanism (FLRM) Project is equipping forest communities with the technical capacity and funds needed to address forest degradation and promote restoration activities, in conjunction with the Cambodian Government’s Community Forestry initiative and the Regional Community Forestry Training Centre for Asia and the Pacific. [more] |
 29 July 2021 Next time you bite into a square of fairtrade chocolate, stop a moment to reflect on where your sweet treat has come from. About six million people around the world depend on farming cocoa for their livelihoods. One of those cocoa-producing countries is Madagascar, the world’s fourth largest island. [more] |
 26 July 2021 Thriving mangroves are critical to the future of many of the world’s most vulnerable coastal communities. Rich in biodiversity, they serve as nursery grounds for fish and shellfish, while their roots act as a filter for sediment, cleaning up waterways. One of the planet’s most carbon-rich ecosystems, mangroves also provide natural protection from storm surges and flooding, whose severity is being exacerbated by climate change. [more] |
 15 July 2021 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today launched a new online portal providing information on forest-related laws around the world in order to help promote legal forest management, timber production and trade, and contribute to efforts to make forest resource use sustainable. [more] |
 8 July 2021 Sustainable farming that works in harmony with nature is key to improving the lives of rural mountain populations and helping to achieve many of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), according to a new FAO and Mountain Partnership report published today. [more] |
 6 July 2021 There is growing evidence that human actions to change the use of land – such as cutting down forests to make space for crop and livestock production – can be a major driver in outbreaks of zoonotic diseases. If we are to limit the occurrence of future pandemics – with all the associated loss of life, economic disruption, and social isolation – we need to start with a commitment across all sectors to prioritize and protect our forests and to halt deforestation. [more] |
 30 June 2021 Tasked with using geospatial technology to count trees in a remote region of northeast Nicaragua, Rene Zamora, a Forest Economist from the World Resources Institute (WRI), had three priorities. [more] |
 30 June 2021 Households in rural Zambia rely heavily on fruits collected from forests for a more balanced diet, reports a new study carried out by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). [more] |
 24 June 2021 Well-trained foresters are vital to address some of the world’s greatest problems and to achieve the SDGs. Climate change, deforestation, biodiversity loss, emerging zoonotic diseases, rural poverty, and malnutrition all have direct links with the state of the world’s forests and the people that manage and protect them. [more] |
 24 June 2021 Forest education at all levels – from primary schools to universities – is insufficient in many countries of the world, according to the results of a global survey led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Tropical Timber Organizations (ITTO) and the International Union of Forest Research Organizations (IUFRO) with the support of other international and regional partners. [more] |
 23 June 2021 Today sees the start of the International Conference on Forest Education – a three-day event to shine a light on the important role forest education plays in maximizing the contributions of forests and trees to the Sustainable Development Goals and in overcoming the growing disconnect between people, nature and forests. [more] |
 18 June 2021 A new FAO-supported guide launched today aims to boost the income of family farmers while increasing tree cover on the world’s smallholder farms. [more] |
 16 June 2021 Forest restoration must go beyond increasing biomass and improve ecology, lives, and livelihoods simultaneously. Approaches should increase climate resilience and prioritize income generation through green jobs and addressing food insecurity and malnutrition. [more] |
 14 June 2021 A new guide published by FAO aims to help small forest producers and their organizations to access private investment and finance for sustainable forest-based businesses. [more] |
 10 June 2021 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in co-operation with the Italian Presidency of the G20, today opened Rome's first garden dedicated to the concept of sustainable development. The "G20 Green Garden" is being billed as a space where recreation and the embrace of nature meet education on themes of global import. [more] |
 9 June 2021 Grassroots support for the world’s 1.5 billion smallholder farmers – who are highly vulnerable to climate threats – to help them diversify their crops, products and practices is increasing food security while conserving forests, storing carbon and creating resilient landscapes. [more] |
 8 June 2021 The global launch of a $104 million initiative signals an ambitious effort by a range of partners to safeguard drylands in the context of climate change, fragile ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and deforestation in 11 African and Central Asian countries. [more] |
 4 June 2021 Leaders in global politics, science, communities, religion and culture joined hands today to officially kick off the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration - a rallying call for the protection and revival of millions of hectares of ecosystems all around the world for the benefit of people and nature. [more] |
 3 June 2021 Facing the triple threat of climate change, loss of nature and pollution, the world must deliver on its commitment to restore at least one billion degraded hectares of land in the next decade - an area about the size of China. [more] |
 3 June 2021 FAO today launched a new online platform that will support countries and communities to monitor progress in restoring damaged and degraded ecosystems as the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 officially gets under way. [more] |
 20 May 2021 Beekeepers in Bolivia have been working hard to meet an increased demand for honey during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to reports from producer organizations in the country. [more] |
 20 May 2021 As we mark the International Day of Biological Diversity on 22 May, we need to remember that conserving the planet’s biodiversity also means protecting its forests. [more] |
 27 April 2021 A group of 15 international organizations working on forestry today issued a joint statement highlighting the need to halt the destruction of the world's forests. [more] |
 27 April 2021 The Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF), a group of 15 international organizations whose work centers on the world’s forests, today published a new work plan for 2021 to 2024. [more] |
 26 April 2021 Healthy forests are key to "building back better", FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said today in his video address to the high-level round table at the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF, 26-30 April 2021). [more] |
 22 April 2021 If we want to tackle climate change, our agri-food systems are one of the key places to start. We need to look at the way we farm, the way we eat and the way we use our natural resources. Agriculture emits around one quarter of greenhouse gases, but it also holds many of the solutions to global climate goals. [more] |
 14 April 2021 David Kaimowitz describes his career as a “a 30-year quest to understand what causes deforestation,” one that has brought him full circle to where he started: at the issue of land rights. [more] |
 9 April 2021 The XV World Forestry Congress (WFC) will take place from 2 to 6 May 2022 at the Coex Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul, host Republic of Korea announced. [more] |
 8 April 2021 The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today published a new study on strengthening rural employment opportunities for young people across Uganda's forestry value chain. [more] |
 30 March 2021 The Arbor Day Foundation, along with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), today announced the cities recognised through the Tree Cities of the World programme. [more] |
 21 March 2021 Photographs from the Russian federation, Belarus, and Spain have won the International Day of Forests 2021 photo contest, which celebrated the ways in which trees contribute to people’s well-being across the world. [more] |
 21 March 2021 Today we mark the International Day of Forests, and never before has there been greater reason to focus our attention on these precious natural resources that cover a third of the Earth’s land area. We owe so much to forests. [more] |
 19 March 2021 Opening the high-level ceremony to mark the International Day of Forests, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), QU Dongyu, today described forest restoration as a path to global recovery and well-being. [more] |
 19 March 2021 When Alfayo Mayemba went out on a hot sunny day and counted the trees on his farm in Kombi village in Tanzania, he probably wasn’t thinking about saving the planet. He was thinking about whether he’ll be getting better prices when he sells the wood, which is one way he earns his living. [more] |
 19 March 2021 When you think of drylands, do you think of miles of empty, barren desert? Well, think again! Drylands are actually a unique type of ecosystem characterised by water scarcity and low precipitation. [more] |
 8 March 2021 Mountain people are among the world’s poorest. Living in fragile ecosystems threatened by climate change and land degradation, one in every two rural mountain people in developing countries risks not having enough food for a healthy life. [more] |
 8 March 2021 In Kyrgyzstan, where winter temperatures can plunge to -40 degrees Celsius, felt is a vital source of warmth for the local people and has a central role in their culture. It is a traditional material used to decorate yurts and make blankets and clothing. [more] |
 4 March 2021 For the first-ever virtual celebration of the United Nations World Wildlife Day, representatives of UN Member States, UN System organizations, international and non-governmental organizations, Indigenous Peoples and Local communities, and youth took part in an online event marking the Day. [more] |
 3 March 2021 Each year on 3 March, World Wildlife Day presents us with an opportunity. Not only do we celebrate and raise awareness of the world’s wildlife, but we also turn our attention to how to live alongside it harmoniously and sustainably. [more] |
 28 February 2021 A unique collection by Italian-Haitian fashion designer Stella Jean and craftswomen from the mountains of Kyrgyzstan will be highlighted at Milan Fashion Week today. [more] |
 9 February 2021 The Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Resources Institute today have launched a new guide to help people use Open Foris Collect Earth, a crowdsourced image analysis platform, to monitor progress on forest and landscape restoration. [more] |
 3 February 2021 FAO and the French Development Agency (AFD) today launched a new 3.5 million Euro project to improve sustainable wildlife management and food security in the world's largest terrestrial transfrontier conservation area. [more] |
 2 February 2021 The bleaching of coral reefs. The destruction of rainforests. The scourge of plastics in our oceans. These threats are familiar to the many people who care about our planet and the future of humanity. [more] |
 29 January 2021 "I was about three years old when I lost my mum. I did not even know her,” says Rita Adibamoli Abarjawe, a 29-year-old single mother from the Kasena Nankana district of Ghana. “Growing up, I went through a lot of stress and financial crises. Sometimes even having food was a challenge.” [more] |
 28 January 2021 FAO today launched a new online tool that will help people better monitor, measure, and manage the relationship between forests and water. [more] |
 12 January 2021 The Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, QU Dongyu, today appealed for an urgent scale-up of Africa's Great Green Wall initiative to restore degraded land, create jobs and address climate change. [more] |
 12 January 2021 Emphasizing the interconnectedness of environmental, animal and human health, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu reiterated FAO's commitment to continue supporting the mainstreaming of biodiversity across agriculture and food sectors also by the Hand in Hand Initiative. [more] |
 7 January 2021 FAO today published a new study on forest-related disasters that will help contribute to the development of effective responses for future incidents. [more] |
 6 January 2021 Before COVID-19 hit, increasing the production and use of sustainable wood was already a major challenge. Substitute materials, such as plastic, concrete and metal can be – at least on the face of it – cheaper. [more] |
lastUpdate Thursday, March 24, 2022