How trees and forests contribute to food security

| October 17, 2022

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The impact of human activities on the global climate has recently become alarmingly clear. In many countries, small-scale farmers are struggling to cope with droughts, floods, and other impacts of climate change.

Yet many environmental scientists say that the food systems which are suffering from climate change are themselves major contributors to the problem.

During the recent Global Landscape Forum Africa 2022 Digital Conference, Stepha McMullin from the World Agroforestry Centre said, “Our food system is failing, with more than two billion people experiencing food insecurity around the world in 2021.”

Ms. McMullin notes that, while many countries are facing food insecurity, nearly 40 per cent of the global population is overweight or obese. She explains, “What this means is that the global food system is not supporting healthy diets and well-being.” 

She says that the global food system is not producing the diversity of food that is needed for healthy diets, with just 15 crops accounting for nearly 90 per cent of the world’s caloric intake.

She adds that only 40 countries, representing about 26 per cent of the world’s population, have a sufficient supply of fruits and vegetables to meet dietary recommendations. 

She explains: “What this means is that there could be enough food but not enough nutrients to eliminate the poor diets that are now a major contributor to global mortality.”

And while the world is grappling with these dietary deficiencies, the food system which produces the world’s food is also harming the planet. 

Ms. McMullin explains: “The global food system is generating more than one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions [produced by human activities], and farming practices are driving soil erosion, nutrient depletion, and loss of natural pollination.”

But there is still hope, according to Ms. McMullin. She says we can find solutions to these challenges by planting trees and maintaining forests. The benefits of forests include retaining fresh water, preventing soil erosion, and decreasing greenhouse gas emissions.

She adds that trees and forests provide nutrient-dense foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and oil, noting that half of the global population consumes tree fruits. They also provide fuel for cooking. She says, “Trees and forests support ecosystems that support agricultural production, and they also increase the stability and resilience of ecosystems overall.” 

Ms. McMullin says it’s important to change the narrative about forests and trees, which some farmers see as competing with their farm fields. Instead, she explains that trees can reverse land degradation and increase yields by protecting and restoring soil quality. 

Some farmers use trees to their advantage by practicing agroforestry, a system where trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland to provide benefits and protection to crops, soil, and animals alike.

Forests also sustain wild animals that contribute to food security in communities near forests through hunting and trapping. Seasonal food gaps are can also be addressed by access to fruits, especially for the 1.6 billion people that depend on forests for their livelihoods. Also, a large percentage of global food crops are pollinated by bees, insects, and other animals that depend on forests for survival.

According to Ms. McMullin: “We can see the overall contribution that forests and trees are making directly and indirectly to supporting sustainable food systems in terms of the foods and services that they provide.”

This article is based on a presentation given by Stepha McMullin as part of the Global Landscape Forum Africa 2022 Digital Conference held online in September. For more information on the Forum, or to watch some of the recorded presentations, go to: https://conference.globallandscapesforum.org/africa-2022/sessions