Rights-based approaches 

"The right to adequate food is realized when every man, woman and child, alone or in community with others, has physical and economic access at all times to adequate food or means for its procurement.” (Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1999)

The right to food is gradually being established as a priority on the international agenda, but when it comes to the realization of this human right, there is still a need to understand what "right to food" means and how it can be implemented in practice, notably for policy design and programmes.

In the case of forest resources, for example, the crucial role of non-wood forest products (NWFPs) for forest‐dependent people is often underestimated and inappropriate policies and institutional obstacles hinder increasing the contribution of NWFPs to national economies and household food and nutrition security.

Recognizing and securing tenure rights of forest-dependent people, including indigenous peoples, and securing equitable access to resources is a fundamental element for securing livelihoods for these communities. The Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the Context of National Food Security are a key instrument for supporting the progressive realization of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security.