.jpg?sfvrsn=f8e510bc_0 "Social inclusion in SFM ©FAO")
Social inclusion in SFM
Indigenous Peoples and traditional knowledge
Statutory laws often neglect the customary rights of the world's estimated 370 million Indigenous Peoples, leading to conflicts over land tenure among indigenous communities, settlers, the state, and private companies. Many countries lack effective mechanisms for resolving these disputes and involving local people in forest management. SFM can benefit Indigenous Peoples by incorporating their knowledge, engaging them in decision-making, providing access to finance and markets, building capacities, and upholding human rights principles (e.g. free, prior, and informed consent).
SFM often relies on indigenous knowledge, blending it with modern technology to adapt to socio-economic and cultural changes in local communities. Traditional forest-based food systems are vital parts of many countries' cultural heritage, and utilizing traditional knowledge in SFM empowers communities. However, many forest communities face pressure and social structural challenges, risking the loss of traditional knowledge.
FAO is working to address unique challenges that Indigenous Peoples living in and around forests face as described in the publication "FAO's work with indigenous peoples in forestry".
Related topics and programmes
Gender
In the forestry context, women have historically faced socio--economic, political, and cultural barriers that marginalize their participation in decision-making processes. While there have been improvements in policies addressing gender inequality, women still suffer from insecure property rights, limited access to forest resources, discrimination in services, and exclusion from decision-making at various levels.
Promoting gender equality and empowering women and girls by ensuring their rights, access to land and forest resources, agricultural and forestry support, capacity building, and active participation in decision-making is crucial for achieving food security and nutrition. Involving women in forest management has contributed to controlling illegal activities and reducing conflicts. Gender mainstreaming aims to consider the diverse knowledge, skills and activities of both men and women, particularly from indigenous communities and marginalized groups who rely on forests for their livelihoods, in forest decision-making processes.
To empower women in the forest sector, it is essential to:1) advocate for governance systems that guarantee secure land and resource tenure;
2) collect and share gender-disaggregated data to monitor women's roles in forestry;
3) implement gender considerations in capacity-building activities;
4) build knowledge to understand gender-specific roles and dynamics; and
5) integrate gender components into projects and programmes.
Children and youth
Children and youth are crucial stakeholders in SFM because they represent the future decision-makers, forest owners, and managers. Encouraging their connection with nature helps create environmentally conscious generations who understand the benefits of trees and forests and the importance of sustainable management. Some children rely directly on forests for food, wood and shelter, while others can learn about forests through educational programs in classrooms, forest schools, guided forest visits, urban parks, and gardens. Investing in forestry education at all levels is vital to ensure a future workforce, including scientists, policymakers, foresters and local communities, dedicated to combating deforestation and restoring degraded landscapes. To support and promote forest education, FAO published the Youth Guide to Forests in 2014, followed by the release of Discovering Forests learning and teaching guides in 2019.
FAO has completed a global forestry education initiatives, the Global Forest Education Project, aimed at raising awareness among children and young people on the sustainable use and conservation of forests. In Tanzania, a three-year project is being implemented to introduce forest education on the vital relationships between forests and biodiversity, health, wellbeing and the climate for children in primary schools.
