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Forestry

28th Session of the Committee on Forestry

28 September – 2 October 2026 | FAO headquarters | Rome, Italy
COFO28_Colourfulbanner_GabrieleMarcelli

The Committee on Forestry (COFO) is FAO’s highest global intergovernmental body on forestry, guiding the Organization’s work and fostering international collaboration, policy dialogue and technical guidance on forest-related issues. The 28th Session of COFO will be held from 28 September to 2 October 2026 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy. Learn more about the Committee on Forestry here. 

COFO brings together 128 Members and meets every two years, convening ministers, heads of forest services, senior government officials and partner organizations. Its sessions identify emerging challenges, promote innovative approaches and provide strategic direction for FAO’s forestry programme. COFO reports to the  FAO Council on programme and budget matters and to the FAO Conference on policy and regulatory issues.

Between sessions, six Regional Forestry Commissions support regional policy dialogue, technical cooperation and help shape COFO’s agenda. COFO also oversees the  Working Group on Dryland Forests and Agrosilvopastoral Systems, which supports the development of a comprehensive understanding of dryland ecosystems.  

Event
10th World Forest Week

28 September – 2 October 2026

Highlights
Opinion editorial: Making forests count for food security and nutrition
Demak, Central Java, Indonesia
Interactive story: Restoring the world's forests
Flagship publication
The State of the World’s Forests 2026
News
FAO Director-General praises Indonesia's forest conservation and monitoring efforts
01/10/2026

Director-General QU Dongyu praised Indonesia's efforts to reduce deforestation and welcomed the launch of its country report on the state of its forests during the 28th Session of FAO's Committee on Forestry.

Celebrating coffee and its farmers
01/10/2026
On this first International Coffee Day, we celebrate the coffee crop that bolsters employment and rural livelihoods and the coffee farmers in Rwanda, Kenya and worldwide.
We know how to bring degraded land back to life
30/09/2026
Forests are living ecosystems that thrive on balance. When that balance is disrupted, forests suffer, losing their ability to provide the benefits on which people and economies depend. 
UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation: FAO will work with Members for a greener and more resilient future for people and the planet
30/09/2026
FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said the Organization stands ready to support the forthcoming UN Decade for Afforestation and Reforestation, describing it as an opportunity to accelerate efforts to address forest and land degradation and restore productive landscapes.
World Forest Week: FAO report identifies methodology to improve global agroforestry monitoring
30/09/2026
A new report from FAO examines the strengths and limitations of existing approaches to monitoring agroforestry and highlights the Global Forest Resources Assessment Remote Sensing Survey as a promising framework for improving global agroforestry monitoring.
World Forest Week: FAO and LUKE strengthen partnership for sustainable management of natural resources including forests
29/09/2026

FAO and the Natural Resources Institute Finland (LUKE) have agreed to extend and strengthen their partnership on sustainable management of natural resources including forests for five more years. 

FAO Committee on Forestry: Director-General urges better integration of forests into food security and development policies
28/09/2026
The 28th Session of FAO’s Committee on Forestry opened on Monday with a call for stronger global action to address mounting threats to forests while fully recognizing their critical contribution to food security, livelihoods, climate resilience and sustainable agrifood systems.
FAO report: Restoring forests and landscapes is critical to meeting global food security and development goals
28/09/2026

Forest and landscape restoration is a cost-effective response to food security, biodiversity, climate, and other development challenges, according to a new report by FAO.

FAO guidance aims to strengthen global wildfire resilience
25/09/2026
In response to the urgent need to address more frequent and extreme wildfires, FAO has today released new guidance to help countries strengthen the rules and processes they have in place for managing wildfires.  

Committee on Forestry: High-level forestry talks focus on forests for food, resilience and prosperity
24/09/2026
The 28th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO 28) and 10th World Forest Week will bring forestry policymakers and experts from Members of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) together in Rome from 28 September to 2 October to drive forward the global agenda on forests.
New FAO guide helps countries strengthen forest biosecurity against rising pest threats
22/09/2026
A new FAO guide is calling for stronger national forest biosecurity systems to help countries protect forests from the growing threat of forest pests and invasive species, the spread of which is being accelerated by global trade, the movement of people and goods, and climate change.
FAO report highlights forests' crucial role in food security and nutrition
15/09/2026
Forests and trees play a crucial role in providing nutritious food, and more than 5 billion people worldwide rely on them to some extent for their livelihoods. Yet their contribution to food security and nutrition remains largely overlooked in national statistics and policy frameworks.
Key topics
Contacts
Pierre Taty
COFO 28 Chairperson

Pierre Taty

 

 

Malgorzata Buszkobriggs
COFO Secretary

Malgorzata Buszko-Briggs