Transformational change is needed in the way we consume our foods and interact with nature, if we want to build back better after the COVID-19 pandemic and preserve forest biodiversity.

Given that deforestation and forest degradation continue to take place at alarming rates largely due to agricultural expansion, we need to find ways to increase agricultural production and improve food security without reducing forest areas, says FAO Director-General QU Dongyu, speaking at the 25th session of the Committee on Forestry (COFO).

Qu said calling for a fundamental change of mindset and remodeling our business approaches.

“Halting deforestation and scaling up reforestation, must be a central building block to the sustainable transformation of food systems”, stresses l QU.

This year’s session of COFO is being convened virtually from October 5 to 9 under the theme “Forests and the SDG Decade of Action: solutions for climate change, biodiversity and people.”

Preserving food diversity and forest health
In his remarks, Qu calls for scale-up action to unlock the full potential of forests and food diversity and increase investment in sustainable forest sector.

Qu also made the link to the Green Cities Initiative that FAO launched last month, which aims to transform agri-food systems, end hunger and improve nutrition in cities. 

He noted that cities are very essential in building back better, as “cities have the capacity, technologies, investment, information and purchasing power”, adding that they can be the "promoter and engine of transformation”.

“COVID-19 has taught us that we need to reinforce for urgent action,” stresses  Inger Andersen, under-secretary-general of the UN and executive director of the UN Environment Programme.

“But to make these transitions happen we need to transform our food systems, which is the largest deforestation cause and which is the largest biodiversity loss cause,” she concludes.