Photo of participants at the regional symposium in Kabul. @FAO/Azatullah Sahil

Kabul, Afghanistan – 24 September 2024: The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a regional symposium focused on good forest and landscape restoration (FLR) practices on 23 -24 September 2024, at FAO’s Dar-ul-Aman compound in Kabul. This symposium was part of two Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded restoration projects implemented by FAO in Afghanistan.   

The event brought together 70 participants and speakers from 23 countries, who engaged in exchanging insights on successful FLR practices and sharing valuable lessons learned. Good FLR practices were shared from six countries across the region including Afghanistan, India, Iran, Mongolia, Nepal, and Pakistan.  Additionally, organizations such as United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), World Food Programme (WFP), The Liaison Office (TLO), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), and Environmental Protection, Training and Development Organization (EPTDO) shared their experiences and good practices.

“The Standards of practice to guide ecosystem restoration, developed in the context of the United Nations Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, is a key tool to assist FLR projects in applying the UN Decade principles and thereby maximize benefits for nature and people” said, Andrea Romero, Facilitator UN Decade Task Force on Best Practices, FAO HQ.

“Restoring degraded land is not only an environmental necessity; it's a vital step towards climate change mitigation and enhancing biodiversity while delivering socioeconomic benefits,” said, Muhammad Ishaq Safi, National Professional Officer, FAO Afghanistan.

Participants emphasized the need for closer collaboration with FAO and its partners to scale up FLR efforts, mobilize resources, and achieve synergies for achieving sustainable FLR. The National Action Plan (NAP) on FLR, initiated during the symposium, aims to advance these efforts by fostering partnerships and aligning with global restoration goals.

The symposium also aligns with the regional strategy and the Restoring and Sustaining Landscapes Together Asia (RESULT Asia) framework, which aims to achieve a consolidated regional restoration target of at least 100 million hectares area by 2030.

Restoring degraded land has gained increasing attention in the context of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, led by FAO and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). There is growing concern regarding degraded forests and landscapes in Afghanistan and more coordinated, collaborative, and informed efforts are needed to reverse this trend. FAO and its partners are at the forefront of promoting good practices in the country for forest and landscape restoration.

Contact Information:
FAO Representative in Afghanistan
Email: [email protected]