FAO report urges large-scale forest, landscape restoration to boost food security

Large-scale restoration of forests and landscapes is a cost-effective way to address food security, biodiversity and climate challenges, according to a report released Monday by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), reported Xinhua.

The 2026 edition of the FAO's flagship State of the World's Forests report, released during the 28th Session of the Committee on Forestry, calls for greater investment, inclusive governance and sustained political commitment to scale up restoration efforts.

Forests cover about 4.14 billion hectares, or 32 percent of the world's land area, and store an estimated 714 gigatons of carbon. They also support food security and livelihoods for nearly one-third of the global population, according to the report.

However, about 489 million hectares of forest were lost to deforestation between 1990 and 2025, while more than 460 million hectares of forests are degraded worldwide. An estimated 1.56 billion hectares of land are degraded, driven by population growth, land-use change and growing demand for natural resources.

The report estimated that failing to restore degraded ecosystems costs the global economy between 878 billion U.S. dollars and 6.3 trillion dollars annually. By contrast, restoring more than 1 billion hectares of degraded land could generate 1.8 trillion dollars in annual benefits through improved biodiversity, water regulation and soil health.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said forest and landscape restoration is "more than an environmental priority," describing it as a strategic investment in resilient agrifood systems and rural development.

The report identified four priorities for expanding restoration: strengthening people's rights and participation, adopting landscape-scale approaches, mobilizing long-term financing, and improving policies, laws and institutions.

Governments in 91 countries and areas have pledged more than 190 million hectares for forest restoration, the report said. It cited China's Three-North Shelterbelt Program, the Great Green Wall initiative in Africa's Sahara and Sahel region, and the Trinational Atlantic Forest Pact in South America as examples of large-scale restoration efforts.