The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations has launched a Call to Action on Dryland Forests, urging governments, donors and partners to increase efforts to protect, restore and sustainably manage these ecosystems.
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The initiative was announced during a high-level dialogue on dryland forests, food, nutrition and resilience at FAO headquarters in Rome. The dialogue formed part of the 10th World Forest Week and took place alongside the 28th Session of the FAO Committee on Forestry.
The call seeks stronger governance of dryland forests and their inclusion in national climate, biodiversity and land-use priorities. It also calls for a significant increase in investment for their conservation and sustainable use.
Importance of dryland forests
Drylands are defined by water scarcity and cover roughly 41 percent of the Earth’s land surface. They account for 27 percent of global forest area and include forests, woodlands and trees outside forests.
According to FAO, forests and trees in dryland regions support the livelihoods, food security and cultural identity of more than two billion people. They provide wood and non-wood products, fuelwood, fodder, wild foods and medicinal plants, while helping communities cope with drought.
Dryland forests also contribute to the resilience of agrifood systems by supporting livestock, protecting soils and water resources, and providing food and income when crops fail.
However, around 25 percent of dryland forest ecosystems are already degraded. The pressures include land-use change linked to agricultural expansion, urbanization and unsustainable resource extraction.
Climate change is adding to those pressures. Longer droughts are increasing water stress and raising the risk of fires in dryland forests.
Proposed support platform
The Call to Action proposes a Dryland Forest Support Accelerator. The proposed platform would be anchored by FAO and driven by countries, but the source does not state that it has already been formally established or funded.
The accelerator would have three broad objectives: gathering evidence and identifying country needs; supporting the implementation and expansion of proven approaches; and documenting results and lessons to guide future action.
It would also help countries incorporate dryland forests into national planning processes, including nationally determined contributions and land degradation neutrality targets. Other proposed areas of support include access to long-term finance, stronger monitoring and improved coordination among sectors.
The initiative builds on FAO’s experience through the GEF-7 Dryland Sustainable Landscapes Impact Program and the COFO Working Group on Dryland Forests and Agrosilvopastoral Systems.
Call for greater recognition
FAO said dryland forests remain insufficiently recognized in global climate, biodiversity and land agendas. The call asks governments, donors and the Rio Conventions to give the ecosystems greater political and financial priority.
It also recommends that dryland forests be formally recognized as a priority ecosystem under the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification.
The call emphasizes that solutions for restoring drylands already exist, with the main challenge being the creation of conditions that allow them to be applied at scale. Its impacts are particularly significant for smallholders, Indigenous Peoples, pastoralists, local communities, women and youth.
In a video message during the launch, FAO Director-General QU Dongyu said, “Dryland forests are central to our lives, and that of future generations.”
He added: “Yet dryland forests are often underrecognized, under-monitored and under-financed. This must change.”
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