In February 2013 The Global Forum on Food Security and Nutrition opened an online forum and posed the question “Forest and trees provide benefits for food security and nutrition – what is your say?” SIANI and Focali made a joint contribution on the forum, about which this brief is based.
The aim of the FAO conference is to: “increase understanding of the important role that forests, trees on farms and agroforestry systems can play in improving food security and nutrition, especially in developing countries. The conference will also propose policy options that need to be undertaken at national and international level to better position the role of forests and trees in food security and nutrition decision-making processes.” This is what the conference organizers state as being crucial today since forest and trees are mostly absent from policy decisions on food security despite the important direct and indirect role they play for food security and nutrition.
Focali and SIANI agree with this problem identification and hence want to contribute to the deliberations on key challenges and bottlenecks that hinder a greater contribution of forests for food security. This is done by selecting key examples of how forests and trees can provide multiple benefits for food security, livelihoods and socio-ecological systems. In addition Focali and SIANI identify policy needs and recommendations for a cross-sectorial landscape approach, which includes the multiple benefits of forests and trees for food security.