Celebrating the importance of forests for food security and nutrition

21 March marks the International Day of Forests, as proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012.  

With the theme Forests and foods, this year’s celebration highlights the crucial role of forests in food security and nutrition and the importance of forest foods for the health, well-being and livelihoods of forest-dependent people. 

Browse through a selection of FAO publications on the topic and get ready to celebrate! 

The State of the World’s Forests 2024 – Forest-sector innovations towards a more sustainable future 
This edition explores the transformative power of evidence-based innovation in the forest sector, ranging from new technologies to creative and successful policies and institutional changes, to new ways of getting finance to forest owners and managers. 

Forests, trees and wild species in agrifood systems – Optimizing benefits for biodiversity, climate and health
This brief reviews opportunities and challenges surrounding forest food and traditional food systems. It features a collection of case studies on forest and wild foods, as well as agrifood systems that integrate forest foods and wild species. The studies provide information on species use, markets and management practices, and threats to sustainability and equity.  

Novel approaches for engaging Indigenous Peoples and local communities on wildlife and food security
This study examines community engagement and how improved rural governance systems can increase food security and well-being. This requires accountable and transparent systems that empower communities to govern their territories effectively as well as real partnerships based on trust and mutual respect. It also means listening to the needs and ideas of the people who call these places home and working together to find solutions that benefit everyone.

Forests for human health and well-being – Strengthening the forest–health–nutrition nexus
Forests provide, directly or indirectly, important health benefits for all people – not only those whose lives are closely intertwined with forest ecosystems, but also people far from forests, including urban populations. This publication sheds light on the linkages of forests and human health and offers recommendations for creating an enabling environment, including calling for the collection of forest–nutrition– health nexus-specific data and innovative policymaking. 

Further reading 

• The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2024 – Financing to end hunger, food insecurity and malnutrition in all its forms 
• Linkages among forests, food security and livelihoods: A comparative analysis of tropical dry forests and tropical wet evergreen forests in Sri Lanka 

Additional resources 

• International Day of Forests 2025 – event page 
• How insects are helping to save the lemur in Madagascar 
• FAO Forestry – Publications 
• FAO publications catalogue 2024 
• FAO Knowledge Repository