Global workshops on forests, trees and wild species’ contributions to sustainable agrifood system transformation
| Introduction | Forests, woodlands and other ecosystems are home to thousands of wild plants, fungi and animal species that are used for food, medicine, energy, income, cultural identity and other practices. Globally, 50 000 wild species are used by some 5.76 billion people and play a vital role in human health and nutrition, especially for women, children, Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable segments of society. Yet these benefits are often overlooked in policy and practice. |
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| Start date | 2023 |
| Status | Ongoing |
| Objective / Goal | The workshops aim to guide and strengthen FAO's technical support for harnessing the contribution of NWFPs, particularly wild plants, fungi and animal species, to agrifood systems transformation. They also aim to enhance the linkages and complementarities between agriculture and forestry, and strengthen coordinated and coherent policy response towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Agreement and the Decades of Nutrition and Ecosystem Restoration, and other frameworks. |
| Activities |
FAO convenes global workshops on forests, trees and wild species’ contributions to sustainable agrifood systems transformation In May 2023, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched a series of workshops on “Forest food systems and their contribution to food security and nutrition“ to identify and promote priority actions to enhance the sustainable use of forest and tree foods, including wild species. Over 250 participants from nearly 50 countries joined the workshops remotely to exchange knowledge and experiences on enabling the contributions of forests foods to sustainable food systems and optimizing benefits for biodiversity, climate and human health. In-person workshops were also held in Turkey in September 2023 and October 2024 to discuss priorities for Europe and Central Asia, with a specific focus on non-wood forest products value chains. Forests, woodlands and other ecosystems are home to thousands of wild plants, fungi and animal species – often called non-wood forest products (NWFP) - that are used for food, medicine, energy, income, cultural identity and other practices. Globally, 50 000 wild species are used by some 5.76 billion people and play a vital role in human health and nutrition, especially for women, children, Indigenous Peoples and vulnerable segments of society. Yet these benefits are often overlooked in policy and practice. The workshops aim to guide and strengthen FAO's technical support for harnessing the contribution of NWFPs, particularly wild plants, fungi and animal species, to agrifood systems transformation. They also aim to enhance the linkages and complementarities between agriculture and forestry, and strengthen coordinated and coherent policy response towards the realization of the 2030 Agenda, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Paris Agreement and the Decades of Nutrition and Ecosystem Restoration, and other frameworks. 10-12 May 2023: Forest food systems and their contribution to food security and nutrition: Defining priorities for the sustainable use of forest plants, fungi and insects in Latin America and the Caribbean Virtual workshop. Workshop report Video recordings: day 1, day 2, day 3 22-24 May 2023: Forest food systems and their contribution to food security and nutrition: Defining priorities for sustainable use in Asia Pacific Video recordings: day 1, day 2, day 3 20 September 2023: Non-wood forest products for sustainable agrifood systems: Status and future priorities for food security, nutrition, livelihoods and sustainable use in Türkiye 18-20 June 2024: Forest-based agrifood systems - defining priorities on the sustainable use of forest foods in Africa Virtual workshop organized by the Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife of Cameroon and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Virtual workshop. Workshop report 7–12 October 2024: Regional non-wood forest products workshop in Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Caucasus The aim of the workshop was to promote regional cooperation for the sustainable management of non-wood forest products (NWFPs), share experiences, support capacity building, and enhance market access and value chain development. |
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