Halting deforestation from agricultural value chains: the role of governments

Research report

Published 2022 by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United States (FAO). Authored by DeValue, K., Takahashi, N., Woolnough, T., Merle, C., Fortuna S. and Agostini, A.

Summary

Forests and trees critically contribute to sustainable agri-food systems, food security and nutrition, including through the mitigation of and adaptation to climate change. Support from forests to agriculture includes offering habitats for pollinators, water regulation, soil fertility and carbon sequestration. However, there are persistent trade-offs between agriculture and forests, with competition for land among the most notable. This paper summarizes the current state of concepts and approaches for addressing deforestation in the trade, marketing, and production of agricultural commodities that have a disproportionate impact on forests at international, national, and landscape levels. This publication aims to complement the international discourse, which largely focused on the role of the private sector and 'consumer countries' by generating a greater focus on the role of 'producer country' governments at the national and local levels to support efforts to decouple agricultural production from deforestation.
Research detail

Halting deforestation from agricultural value chains: the role of governments

Research report

Published 2022 by Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United States (FAO). Authored by DeValue, K., Takahashi, N., Woolnough, T., Merle, C., Fortuna S. and Agostini, A.