Results
Report
2015
The Second Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The report provides a comprehensive assessment of livestock biodiversity and its management. It sets out the latest available information on:
The state of livestock diversity
Trends in the livestock sector
The state of capacity to manage animal genetic resources
The state of the art in animal genetic resources management
Gaps and needs in animal genetic resources management
By the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Report
2015
Status of the World's Soil Resources. Main report
The SWSR is a reference document on the status of global soil resources that provides regional assessments of soil change. The information is based on peer-reviewed scientific literature, complemented with expert knowledge and project outputs. It provides a description and a ranking of ten major soil threats that endanger ecosystem functions, goods and services globally and in each region separately. Additionally, it describes direct and indirect pressures on soils and ways and means to combat soil degradation. The report contains a Synthesis report for policy makers that summarizes its findings, conclusions and recommendations.
Technical Summary also available here.
Tool
2014
Global plan of action for the conservation, sustainable use and development of forest genetic resources
Forest genetic resources (FGR) are the heritable materials maintained within and among tree and other woody plant species that are of actual or potential economic, environmental, scientific or societal value. They are crucial to the adaptation and protection of our ecosystems, landscapes and production systems, yet are subject to increasing pressures and unsustainable use.
This Global Plan of Action identifies 27 strategic priorities grouped into 4 areas: 1) improving the availability of, and access to, information on FGR; 2) conservation of FGR (in situ and ex situ); 3) sustainable use, development and management of FGR; 4) policies, institutions and capacity-building. Implementation [...]
Report
2014
The State of the World’s Forest Genetic Resources
The publication was prepared based on information provided by 86 countries, outcomes from regional and subregional consultations and commissioned thematic studies. It includes:
an overview of definitions and concepts related to Forest Genetic Resources (FGR) and a review of their value;
a description of the main drivers of changes;
the presentation of key emerging technologies;
an analysis of the current status of FGR conservation, use and related developments;
recommendations addressing the challenges and needs.
By the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture.
Report
2014
State of the World’s Forests 2014. Enhancing the Socioeconomic Benefits from Forests
The 2014 edition of the State of the World’s Forests report (also known as SOFO) has been released by FAO, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization. This coincides with the opening of the 22nd Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry (COFO) and the World Forest Week.
SOFO 2014 deals with the existing knowledge gaps on the socioeconomic benefits provided by forests. It gathers and analyses data already available on the topic. It also makes recommendations to improve this information.
The lack of information about the socioeconomic dimension of forests and the need to fill this gap was also one of [...]
Briefs
2014
Rewarding the Service Providers. A Policy Brief
The aim of this policy brief is to increase awareness among policy makers and the general public about the vital role of tropical forests in providing environmental services and the increasing need for beneficiaries to compensate forest owners or managers for those services. The brief builds on the insights gained at the International Forum on Payments for Environmental Services of Tropical Forests, which was held in San José, Costa Rica, in April 2014. It sets out the rationale for, and the constraints faced by, PES schemes, and key recommendations for scaling them up.
Report
2012
Sustainable Diets and Biodiversity. Directions and Solutions for Policy, Research and Action
This book presents the current state of thought on the common path of sustainable diets and biodiversity and addresses the linkages among agriculture, health, the environment and food industries. The alarming pace of biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation and their negative impact on poverty and health makes a compelling case for re-examining food systems and diets. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop and promote strategies for sustainable diets, emphasizing the positive role of food biodiversity in human nutrition and poverty alleviation.
Sustainable Diets are those diets with low environmental impacts which contribute to food and nutrition security and to [...]
Issue paper
2011
Reforming forest tenure. Issues, principles and process
Secure tenure is an important prerequisite for sustainable forest management. More diversified tenure systems could provide a basis for improving forest management and local livelihoods, particularly where the State has insufficient capacity to manage forests. In the past decade many countries have initiated efforts to reform their tenure arrangements for forests and forest land, devolving some degree of access and management from the State to others, mainly households, private c ompanies and communities. This publication provides practical guidance for policy-makers and others concerned with addressing forest tenure reform. Drawing from many sources, including forest tenure assessments carried out by FAO [...]
Report
2010
The Second Report on The State of the World's Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
This report describes the current status of the conservation and use of Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA) throughout the world. It is based on country reports, information gathering processes, regional syntheses, thematic background studies and published scientific literature. It describes the most significant changes that have taken place since the first SoW report was published in 1998 and describes major continuing gaps and needs. The structure follows that of the first SoW report with an additional chapter on the contribution of PGRFA to food security and sustainable agricultural development.
By the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources for Food [...]
Report
2007
The State of Food and Agriculture. Paying Farmers for Environmental Services
The State of Food and Agriculture 2007 explores the potential for agriculture to provide enhanced levels of environmental services alongside the production of food and fibre. The report concludes that demand for environmental services from agriculture – including climate change mitigation, improved watershed management and biodiversity preservation – will increase in the future, but better incentives to farmers are needed if agriculture is to meet this demand. As one among several other possible policy tools, payments to farmers for environmental services hold promise as a flexible approach to enhancing farmer incentives to sustain and improve the ecosystems on which we [...]