Making forests count for food security and nutrition

Forests make our world better in many ways: they cool local temperatures, remove greenhouse gases from the air and provide habitats for animals, insects and other biodiversity crucial to healthy ecosystems.

However, their global and critical role in food and agriculture is often overlooked.

New findings from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Landscape Alliance show just how much forests contribute to food security and nutrition, from supplying wild foods and supporting agriculture to supplying incomes, energy and health requirements of communities.

At least 10 000 wild species are consumed directly as food, many of which originate in forests. In some forest-dependent communities, wild foods supply up to 80 percent of total protein intake.

Regional examples illustrate how forests support diets in different ways. In Gabon, 200 grams of five forest fruits can cover a full day's requirement for energy, vitamins C and E, iron, magnesium and zinc.

In Europe, a survey across 28 countries found that 90 percent of respondents had consumed forest food in the past year, and over a third had eaten game meat.

In Vanuatu, wild pig can account for up to 30 percent of diets.

Beyond providing wild foods, forests are also vital for agriculture: the pollinators they host support 35 percent of crop production. Forest ecosystems also improve soil health, retain water, provide livestock fodder, offer shade, and protect crops from climate extremes – helping sustain the productivity and resilience of our agrifood systems.

More than five billion people depend on forests for some part of their livelihoods. In many rural areas, forests contribute up to 20 percent of household income, helping families purchase food. © FAO/Dinesh Kothari

Forests strengthen food security

More than five billion people depend on forests for some part of their livelihoods. In many rural areas, forest resources provide up to 20 percent of household income, helping families buy food. During food shortages or crises, forests act as vital food and income safety nets.

Around 1.8 billion people cook mainly with woodfuel gathered from forests and woodlands. More than one billion people rely on forest-derived medicinal plants for basic healthcare. Forest watersheds supply freshwater to over 85 percent of the world's major cities.

When forests are lost or degraded, the consequences are felt in both daily life and in national food systems.

Protecting forests is not just for healthy ecosystems but an investment in food security, nutrition and human well-being.

All the while, forests remain under pressure. An estimated 10.9 million hectares were lost to deforestation each year from 2015 to 2025, exacerbated by poverty, limited institutional capacity and insecure land tenure, among other factors. Fortunately, the trend has improved: the annual rate of net forest loss slowed from 10.7 million hectares in 1990-2000 to 4.12 million hectares in 2015-2025.

Countries can reduce deforestation and enhance ecosystem resilience by promoting sustainable agricultural practices that support food production while reducing pressure on forests.

Key to this is stronger collaboration and coordination across the agriculture, forestry, environment, energy, nutrition, health and other relevant sectors. Greater coherence among policies and legal frameworks can help align agricultural development with sustainable forest management and promote more integrated land-use decisions.

Improved data on how forests contribute to food security and nutrition can also help countries balance food production with healthy forests.

The recommendations from the new FAO report will inform discussions at the upcoming 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry, including at a World Forest Week high-level dialogue on Forests, food and nutrition: sustaining people and the planet that will bring together ministers, government representatives and other stakeholders.

Forests are already supporting the lives and livelihoods of billions. It is time global food security planning started counting them.

Learn more

• Forests for food: Nourishing people, sustaining the planet
• FAO & Forestry
• Forests for food security, nutrition and human health

Zhimin Wu is Assistant Director-General and Director of FAO’s Forestry Division