The FAO Transparent Supply Chains thematic area leads global efforts to support deforestation-free commodity value chains through robust forest monitoring, geospatial innovation, and collaborative partnerships. Our mission is to enable governments, companies, and communities to meet emerging sustainability regulations while protecting forests and supporting inclusive rural development.
The role of transparent supply chains has never been more important. With the implementation of deforestation-free regulations, smallholders, businesses and governments need accurate geospatial data to demonstrate compliance when placing commodities on the market. This is where the FAO’s Open Foris Ground and Whisp solutions, through broader monitoring frameworks become instrumental. They offer real-time insights into land use, deforestation patterns, and compliance risks, ensuring that smallholders, businesses and policymakers have the necessary tools to meet due diligence requirements.
One of our initiatives is the AIM4Commodities (A4C) program, funded by GIZ and designed to help countries improve their forest-related data to ensure transparent and sustainable value chains. Through this project and other initiatives such as the Forest Data Partnership and the AIM4Forests programme, the team fosters collaboration across sectors and countries. It also facilitates knowledge exchanges and technical dialogues, creating a shared space for learning and innovation. The ultimate goal: enable transparent, traceable, and equitable supply chains that protect forests, support climate action, and enhance livelihoods around the world.
Our approach
Open-Source Geospatial Solutions
Solutions like Open Foris Whisp and Ground enable data collection and analysis for deforestation monitoring.
Multi-Stakeholder Partnerships
Collaboration with governments, businesses, NGOs, and research institutions to drive impact.
Field-to-Market Traceability
Developing systems that ensure commodities are sustainably sourced and meet deforestation-free requirements.
Capacity Building & Knowledge Sharing
Providing technical expertise and training for stakeholders at all levels.
Highlights
Stories
Courses
Open Foris Ground
07/10/2025
This course describes the growing challenges of field data collection and the use of open-source solutions like Open Foris Ground. In this course, you will learn Open Foris Ground's key features and how it can be used to address the data collection needs of various users in different contexts.