Promoting forest-based food security and poverty alleviation
THURSDAY 25 JULY 2024
12.30–14.00 CEST
ETHIOPIA ROOM
Overview
Forests are crucial for the livelihoods of nearly one-third of the world's population, with roughly 40 percent of the rural poor in developing regions living in or near forested areas. These forests provide essential food and nutrition for forest-dependent people (FDP), especially those who are marginalized and vulnerable. However, these communities face poverty, instability, and food insecurity due to a complex interplay of environmental, economic, social, and political factors, exacerbated by ecological degradation and climate change.To address these challenges, transforming agrifood systems is vital to enhance the link between food and forests. Sustainable forest management can ensure forests remain a stable source of nourishment, contributing to food security, poverty eradication, and ecological improvement for FDP while conserving ecosystems and natural resources.
Social protection, forest and landscape restoration, and sustainable forest value chain development are critical strategies to achieve this, and governments and Forest and Farm Producer Organizations (FFPOs) play crucial roles in implementing these strategies.
Objectives
- Showcase effective policies, measures and practices in promoting forest-based food security and nutrition, and poverty reduction.
- Highlight innovative approaches, practices and tools, that empower forest-dependent communities and small-scale producers to access social protection, engage in forest landscape restoration, and participate in value chains for enhanced food security, poverty reduction, and income generation.
- Facilitate discussion on lessons learned and identify key actions to scale up successful practices for ensuring food security and poverty alleviation.
Webcast
Speakers
Director of the Forestry Division
FAO
Kenya’s new social protection policy: opportunities for forest-dependent communities
Richard Obiga
Senior Programme Officer, National Social Protection Secretariat
Ministry of Labour and Social Protection
Kenya
Crop forests in China
Junkai Gao
Deputy Director-General
Department of Reform and Development
National Forestry and Grassland Administration
China
Strengthening coherence between forestry and social protection for poverty reduction and food security
Qiang Ma
Forestry Officer, Forestry and Livelihoods Team
Forestry Division
FAO
GhaFFaP’s role in facilitating forest farmer enrolment in Ghana’s social protection registry
Eric Dalinpuo
Executive Director
Community Action in Development and Research (CADER)
Ghana
Enhancing social protection for forest-dependent communities in Nepal: assessment findings and next steps
Racchya Shah
Country Facilitator
Forest and Farm Facility
Nepal
Dos Santos A. Silayo
Chief Executive, Tanzania Forest Services Agency, Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism, Tanzania
Empowering Tanzanian women and youth through beekeeping for sustainable rural livelihood and environmental conservation
Maasai beekeeper in Arusha region
Tanzania
Chief Executive Director, Network of Farmers and Pastoralists Groups MVIWAARUSHA
Thomas Hofer
Team Leader
Forestry and Livelihoods
Forestry Division
FAO
