.jpg?sfvrsn=d545de22_0 "Cremona, Italy - Cattle grazing in hybrid poplar planting ©ISP")
Overview
IPC is one of the oldest statutory bodies within the framework of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). It was founded in 1947 by nine European countries in the aftermath of the Second World War, when poplar and willow culture was considered a priority to supporting reconstruction of rural and industrial economies.
IPC’s relationship with FAO was formalized in 1967 by placing it as a statutory body under the provisions of Art. XIV of the FAO Constitution. Statutory bodies are established by the Director-General of FAO at the request of Member States to carry out specific tasks in support of the work of FAO and to provide specialist advice in high-priority areas or questions. IPC now comprises 38 member countries on five continents that have accepted the Convention and established a national commission (NC).
IPC's mandate is the scientific, technical, social, economic and environmental aspects of Populus and other fast-growing trees that sustain people and the environment. Priorities of the Commission’s work are forest resources production, protection, conservation and sustainable utilization, with a view to sustaining livelihoods, land uses, rural development and the environment. This work includes food security issues, climate change and carbon sinks, biodiversity conservation and resilience against biotic and abiotic threats, and combating deforestation.
The IPC has an important role in the development of the forest and timber sectors in rural areas, largely through the transfer of knowledge on fast-growing species and the exchange of technologies and breeding material. Notable contributions include supporting the establishment of outgrower schemes on more than 450,000 hectares in India; and contributing to the Chinese 'Great Green Wall' or Three-North Shelterbelt, which mitigates desertification across a projected 4,500 kilometers of northern China.
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FAO's Governing Bodies
For more information on the IPC see the FAO's Governing Bodies website.
Governance
The IPC is governed by a Convention adopted at the tenth session of the FAO Conference in November 1959, and amended in 2019 to broaden its scope beyond poplars and willows to cover all fast-growing trees. The IPC is summoned in regular sessions every four years by the Director-General of FAO, in consultation with the Chairperson of the IPC Executive Committee. Special sessions may also be convened, if necessary. Tipically, sessions are hosted by one of the IPC member countries, after the Director-General accepts its offer to serve as host.
The Forestry Division of FAO provides the permanent Secretariat of IPC. The Secretary, appointed by the Director-General of FAO, is responsible for supporting the work of the Commission. The Executive Committee has 12 members elected in a personal capacity for a four-year term, and a maximum of five members co-opted for the same duration. All candidates are presented by member countries for their special competence. The committee meets during each session of the IPC and at least once between sessions.
IPC Reform
The reform of the IPC Convention, adopted in 2019, expanded the Commission’s scope beyond poplars and willows to include other fast-growing tree species. This broader mandate reflects the global importance of fast-growing trees for:
- sustainable wood supply
- climate change mitigation
- ecosystem services and
- rural development
The amended Convention has been fully in force since 2019 and was first implemented at the 26th Session of the IPC (Rome, 2021). It was further consolidated at the 27th Session (Bordeaux, 2024), where Members endorsed the Work Plan 2024–2026. Under this framework, the IPC now supports international cooperation, innovation and knowledge exchange on a wider range of species and regions worldwide.
