International Day of Forests is celebrated on March 21 to pay tribute to the importance of all types of forests and to raise awareness about their care.
Pillars of world nutrition
Forests are pillars of global food security and nutrition, providing livelihoods for millions of families. They provide essential food and fundamental resources for indigenous and rural communities.
However, their role goes far beyond food. Forests are a vital source of energy, providing wood for cooking, playing a key role in agriculture by harboring pollinators and acting in soil enrichment, climate regulation and biodiversity conservation.
In addition, forest watersheds supply freshwater to more than 85% of the world’s major cities. In crisis situations, forests become an economic and food lifeline, providing up to 20% of household income in rural areas and ensuring healthy diets.
However, these ecosystems are in danger. Every year, 10 million hectares of forests are lost to deforestation and another 70 million are devastated by fires. Protecting and restoring our forests is urgent and necessary: the well-being of the planet and future generations depends on them.
Importance of forests
- Forests provide food, medicine and livelihoods for 5 billion people worldwide. Forests and trees are a rich source of nuts, fruits, seeds, roots, tubers, leaves, mushrooms, honey, bushmeat and insects, which contribute essential nutrients to people’s dietary intake.
- More than 2 billion people depend on wood and other traditional fuels for cooking. Plant fuels have been used since ancient times and are still common in rural households as a source of energy for cooking and making food edible.
- Forests are fundamental to agriculture, providing a home for pollinators, helping to maintain soil health, retaining water, providing feed and shade for livestock, regulating temperatures and acting as a natural windbreak for crops, as well as increasing rainfall to meet agricultural needs.
- Forests support rural incomes by boosting livelihoods and nutrition. In some countries and regions, forests and trees provide about 20 percent of rural household incomes and facilitate access, particularly for poorer households, to nutritious food and varied diets.
- Forests are vital for water, on which ecosystems and our food security depend. Forested watersheds supply freshwater to more than 85% of the world’s major cities, and sustainable forest management has the potential to improve water quality for more than 1.7 billion people living in large urban areas, contributing to their food and water security.
- Forests serve as food safety nets in times of crisis. Forests support food security and diversify income during shocks, such as crop failures or conflicts, helping to ensure the survival of communities when regular food sources are unavailable.
- Bushmeat from forests is an essential source of protein and micronutrients for indigenous peoples and rural communities, particularly in tropical regions. More than 3,200 species of wild animals are used as food.
