The European Programme for Sustainable Cocoa (SCP), the operational arm of the European Initiative for Sustainable Cocoa, implemented with FAO, supports Cameroon to strengthen the sustainability of cocoa production.

More than 70 participants from research institutions, academia, and field projects joined the

“Just 10–15 years ago, forest data was collected in many countries using pen and paper,” recalled Andreas Vollrath, forestry expert at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO). “The introduction of digital tools, such as the Open Foris platform, has enabled developing countries to transition to electronic data collection and advanced remote sensing analysis, which opened the door to the large-scale use of artificial intelligence in forestry.” 

Kosovo has taken an important step in advancing its forest monitoring by launching the third cycle (2024–2025) of the National Forest Inventory (NFI). Building on earlier inventories conducted in 2002 and 2012, this new cycle marks a major technological leap forward through the integration of Open Foris Arena and Arena Mobile – open-source digital platforms that streamline data collection, processing, and quality assurance. 

FAO has launched a new publication, A Global Methodology for the Assessment of Direct Drivers Associated with Deforestation and Degradation, presenting a harmonized, statistically robust approach to identify and validate the causes of forest loss. A launch webinar took place on 2 October 2025, bringing more than 80 participants from around the world interested in understanding the methodology and its implications for forest monitoring.

Mexico is reinforcing its forest monitoring capacities – a vital step for the nearly 12 million people, including 3.6 million Indigenous Peoples, who depend on forests for their livelihoods. 

In August 2024, FAO provided a dedicated training on Open Foris Arena, FAO’s open-source platform for field data collection and analysis and funded under the “AIM4Forests: Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests” programme funded by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Twenty-five specialists from the National Forestry Commission of Mexico (CONAFOR) learned how to design surveys, collect data with Arena Mobile, and integrate statistical analysis directly into their workflows.  

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is supporting the design of an ambitious new global facility for securing the future of tropical forests, discussed at a high-level event in New York this week on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).

Mongolia has taken a decisive step toward modernizing its forest monitoring system by advancing the digital management of its national forest inventory (NFI) through the Open Foris Arena platform developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

From May to July 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ)  and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, carried out two missions to Kenya under the AIM4Commodities work stream and the AIM4Forests programme. As one of four pilot countries, alongside Colombia, Viet Nam and Lao PDR, Kenya is testing and scaling up approaches to strengthen forest monitoring, enhance supply chain traceability, and promote sustainable land use through Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).  

Forests are home to a wealth of biodiversity; they protect our climate and support a wide range of livelihoods. Recognizing the critical role of forests and as part of its commitment to sustainable biodiversity conservation and forest management, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), under the FAO-Türkiye Forestry Partnership Programme, has launched a regional training programme for sustainable forestry – equipping participating countries with inclusive planning approaches and cutting-edge digital solutions.

Rome and Bandung, Indonesia – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations today unveiled the first major redesign of its open-source forest monitoring platform, Open Foris, since its launch over 15 years ago. 

Developed as FAO’s first open-source project, Open Foris has grown into a widely used suite of digital solutions for forest and land monitoring, with more than 250,000 users in 196 countries.

The Gambia is transforming how it monitors and manages its forest, leaving behind paper-based data collection and embracing digital solutions to map, measure, and manage its forests with greater accuracy and efficiency. Led by the Gambia's Department of Forestry and supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the country is preparing for the next National Forest Inventory (NFI) – a key effort to track forest resources and guide decision-making.  

From 12 to 16 May 2025, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with funding from the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and in close collaboration with the Viet Nam Administration of Forestry (VNFOREST), launched project activities under the AIM4Commodities project in Viet Nam. The country is one of four pilot countries globally—alongside Colombia, Kenya and Lao PDR—supporting efforts to improve forest monitoring, increase supply chain transparency and strengthen smallholder resilience in the face of growing market demands for deforestation-free commodities. 

In 2020, during the uncertainties of the COVID-19 pandemic, a bold idea emerged: estimate deforestation trends and associated drivers of deforestation across six Central African countries using FAO’s SEPAL platform.

The International Trade Centre (ITC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) have teamed up to create a suite of free, public tools that farmers anywhere in the world can use. Here’s how these tools are already being put into use in Kenya.

Cameroon’s cocoa thrives in rich agroforestry systems, where cocoa trees coexist with towering forests, fruit trees like mango and avocado, and non-timber species such as bush mango and jansang. This sustainable approach preserves biodiversity and boosts ecosystem services. However, for Cameroon’s cocoa to access the EU market, its major outlet, it needs to comply with the European Union’s Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) which is reshaping cocoa markets by requiring proof that commodities have not been produced by converting forests to agricultural and other land uses, known as deforestation after 31 December 2020.

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in partnership with the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM), inaugurated the national workshop marking the start of the AIM4Commodities (A4C) project activities in Colombia. The event took place on 22 and 23 April in Bogotá, bringing together nearly 50 participants, including representatives from government agencies, cocoa cooperatives, exporters, and national and international technical partners. 

Forests, data, and digital innovation took center stage at the Earth Observation for Forests session during the GEO Global Forum 2025 on 6 May. Co-hosted by FAO’s Forest Monitoring and Data Platforms team, alongside partners from the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), the Chinese Academy of Forestry, and the Global Forest Observations Initiative (GFOI), the session showcased how cutting-edge earth observation and open-source technologies are transforming the way we monitor forests, restore ecosystems, and bring transparency to global supply chains.

Bangkok - Forests across Asia and the Pacific region cover 740 million hectares, accounting for 18 percent of global forest cover. These forests are not only critical for the livelihoods of more than 450 million people, but also play a critical economic role, with annual trade in primary forest p...