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Forest Monitoring for Transparent Supply Chains

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Instructions for using the OPEN FORIS GROUND data collection support software
Instructions for using the Open Foris Ground data collection support software in Viet Nam
10/06/2026

On June 9, 2026, the Department of Agriculture and Environment in Viet Nam, in coordination with relevant agencies and units, organized a training session on the use of the Open Foris Ground software tool to support the collection of data on cultivated areas, ensuring compliance with the European Union's regulations on the production and trade of non-deforestation products (EUDR).

FAO issues forest monitoring good practices for tree crop commodities and smallholders
FAO issues forest monitoring good practices for tree crop commodities and smallholders
03/06/2026
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today published new guidance on forest monitoring, including on how to map and monitor tree-based agricultural commodities such as those produced in agroforestry systems. Launched today at the GeoField 2026 Convening, the Forest monitoring good practices: mapping tree crop commodities provides a comprehensive framework for using earth observation and geospatial data to identify the presence of crops like cocoa, coffee, rubber and palm oil.
Ecuador strengthens forest-positive agroforestry value chains in cocoa and coffee
05/03/2026

Ecuador is consolidating strategic actions to strengthen agroforestry value chains that are positively linked to forests in the cocoa and coffee sectors. A forest-positive agroforestry chain is a value chain based on agroforestry systems that generates economic, social and environmental benefits and actively contributes to the conservation and restoration of forests. This work is being carried out within the framework of the Technical Cooperation Programme implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), whose international mission took place in the country this week.

Artificial intelligence in forest monitoring: uses, applications, adoption and precautions
06/02/2026

Authors: Pilar Valbuena, Victoria O’Brien, Till Neeff, Erik Lindquist, Andreas Vollrath, Javier Garcia-Perez Gamarra, Remi D’Annunzio, Jingjing Liang, and Julian Fox 

Across virtually all industries and fields, artificial intelligence (AI) is a transformative force. The same is true for forestry, where AI is reshaping how forests are monitored, managed, restored, and integrated into global supply chains. Early experience suggests that AI has the potential to enhance forest monitoring and to reinforce the efforts of governments and civil society alike to base decisions on stronger, more timely evidence. 

Open Foris: Open-source solutions for Forest and Land monitoring
19/02/2026

Open Foris is a free, open-source initiative of forest and land monitoring solutions developed by FAO. The portfolio makes environmental monitoring more accessible, transparent, and collaborative for governme...

Cocoa mapping in Cameroon: EU Sustainable Cocoa Programme advances sustainable production and forest protection
Cocoa mapping in Cameroon: EU Sustainable Cocoa Programme advances sustainable production and forest protection
25/11/2025

Cocoa is a vital source of income for millions of smallholder farmers across the globe and Cameroon — one of the world’s top three cocoa-producing countries in Africa. Yet cocoa production can also be linked to deforestation and forest degradation. 

To address these challenges, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) under the European Union’s Sustainable Cocoa Programme is using satellite remote sensing, artificial intelligence and cloud technology to map land cover and assess the impact of cocoa on forests.

COP30: FAO’s AIM4Forests secures long-term financial support from the United Kingdom
COP30: FAO’s AIM4Forests secures long-term financial support from the United Kingdom
15/11/2025
Jointly developed by FAO and the UK’s Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, AIM4Forests has expanded to include Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Nature Restoration (AIM4NatuRe) and Accelerating Innovative Monitoring for Forests and Commodities (AIM4Commodities). AIM4NatuRe widens the scope to all ecosystems to provide a holistic approach to nature restoration monitoring, while AIM4Commodities promotes more sustainable and transparent supply chains connecting science, data and policy to deliver impact and measurable results for people and the planet.
Strengthening Traceability and Sustainability in Viet Nam
AIM4Commodities Project: Data Ownership for Sustainable, Traceable Supply Chains and Transparent Governance
01/09/2025
How can food be produced sustainably while meeting deforestation-free requirements? That is the challenge at the heart of AIM4Commodities, a global initiative that is rethinking how digital tools, data, and smallholder empowerment through data ownership can shape the future of agriculture. 
Training surge: from field mapping to risk analysis
AIM4Commodities: Advancing traceability and Digital Public Infrastructure in Kenya's coffee sector
08/09/2025
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).  
Strengthening Traceability and Sustainability in Viet Nam’s Coffee and Rubber Sectors
Strengthening Traceability and Sustainability in Viet Nam’s Coffee and Rubber Sectors
02/07/2025
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. 
As deforestation rules loom, public digital tools can keep small farmers in business
27/06/2025
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.
Restoring the Planet, Reviving Knowledge
Restoring the Planet, Reviving Knowledge
06/06/2025
As the world faces a mounting ecological crisis, marked by the rapid degradation of ecosystems, biodiversity loss, and advancing desertification, an ambitious initiative is lighting a path forward: the Indigenous Peoples’ Biocentric Restoration Global Programme. And Open Foris Ground is helping to monitor these efforts, you will discover how in the new elearning that will be launched soon.
GFOI Event: Enhancing forest monitoring through global collaboration
GFOI Event: Enhancing forest monitoring through global collaboration
24/11/2024
On November 27, the Forest Data Partnership will be presenting at the South-South Knowledge Exchange on data governance and data sharing, capacity development and meeting demand-side requirements for forest monitoring.
New Commodity Models to Support Deforestation-free Supply Chains
New Commodity Models to Support Deforestation-free Supply Chains
12/10/2024
New community models and probability maps of forest-risk commodities from Google support deforestation risk assessment, such as what is needed under the EUDR.
How are Central America’s coffee value chains preparing for new regulations on deforestation-free products?
How are Central America’s coffee value chains preparing for new regulations on deforestation-free products?
16/05/2025
About one quarter of Guatemalan coffee and over half of Honduran coffee exports are destined for the European Union. Most of that coffee is grown by smallholder farmers. But as of January 2026, European Union importers will be required to ensure that imported coffee, along with eight other product groups affected by the regulation, does not cause deforestation or forest degradation.
Start of AIM4Commodities project activities in Colombia: strengthening the traceability and sustainability of cocoa
Start of AIM4Commodities project activities in Colombia: strengthening the traceability and sustainability of cocoa
12/05/2025
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. 
FAO launches new project to help countries advance forest monitoring for transparent commodity value chains
FAO launches new project to help countries advance forest monitoring for transparent commodity value chains
27/11/2024
The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has launched a new project to help countries improve their forest-related data at a four-day South-South knowledge exchange taking place in Rome this week.
FAO launches public dashboard solutions to support compliance with deforestation-related trade regulations
FAO launches public dashboard solutions to support compliance with deforestation-related trade regulations
27/11/2024
To enhance a digital public infrastructure for deforestation-related trade regulations, FAO has developed a suite of innovative solutions to help smallholders, decision-makers, operators and third party verification actors to assess the deforestation risk related to commodity production at the plot level.  
The Traceability and Transparency Tipping Point: Transforming Agricultural Supply Chains
Webinar: The Traceability and Transparency Tipping Point: Transforming Agricultural Supply Chains
11/09/2023
Join us for the webinar where we will unpack findings from a new WRI report, explore priority action areas for closing key gaps, and showcase collaborative approaches to advancing traceability and transparency. Simultaneous interpretation in Bahasa Indonesia, French, Portuguese and Spanish. Read More.
South-south knowledge exchange drives innovation in forest monitoring
South-south knowledge exchange drives innovation in forest monitoring
06/12/2024
More than 150 experts from across the globe convened in Rome, Italy, from 25 to 28 November 2024 to enhance collaboration on forest monitoring efforts. The south-south knowledge exchange  emphasized collaboration on country-led planning; forest monitoring and measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) procedures; and forest monitoring for transparent commodity value chains.