2016 STATE OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS STATE STATE OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS 2016 FORESTS AND AGRICULTURE: LAND-USE FAO CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES COVER PHOTO ©FAO/Adi Wiratmo INDONESIA. Terraced rice fields on the island of Bali. In order to make the most of the land and prevent erosion, this terracing system maintains the ecosystem while providing a livelihood for local farmers. Recommended citation: FAO. 2016. State of the World’s Forests 2016. Forests and agriculture: land-use challenges and opportunities. Rome. The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. 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FAO information products are available on the FAO website (www.fao.org/publications) and can be purchased through [email protected]. © FAO 2016 ISSN 1020-5705 2016 STATE OF THE WORLD’S FORESTS FORESTS AND AGRICULTURE: LAND-USE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Rome, 2016 CONTENTS FOREWORD vi CHAPTER 4 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS viii MAKING ROOM FOR FORESTS ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ix AND FOOD SECURITY 51 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY x Key messages 52 KEY MESSAGES xiv 4.1 Reducing deforestation and improving agriculture and food security 54 CHAPTER 1 4.2 Country case studies 56 4.3 Common themes and lessons learned: INTRODUCTION 1 how to improve food security and increase agricultural production without reducing CHAPTER 2 the forest area 79 TRENDS IN LAND-USE CHANGE 7 Key messages 8 CHAPTER 5 2.1 Introduction 10 TOWARDS BETTER GOVERNANCE 2.2 A global history of forest conversion 10 OF LAND USE FOR FORESTS 2.3 Twenty-first century land-use change dynamics 12 AND AGRICULTURE 87 2.4 Drivers of conversion from forest to agriculture 17 2.5 Drivers of conversion from agricultural 5.1 Key conclusions 88 land to forest 22 5.2 Policy implications 91 CHAPTER 3 ANNEX THE GOVERNANCE AND DEFINITIONS AND METHODOLOGY 95 MANAGEMENT OF Definitions 96 LAND-USE CHANGE 25 Methodology 98 Key messages 26 3.1 Introduction 28 REFERENCES 104 3.2 Policies for governing land-use change between forest and agriculture 29 3.3 Legal frameworks for land-use change from forest to agriculture: complexities and challenges 35 3.4 Investments in agriculture and forests and their impacts on land use 39 3.5 Institutional mechanisms for governing land-use change 45 | iv | NOTES BORIA VOLOREIUM, SIT AUT QUIS DOLORITI CONECTUS, SEQUE The proportion of undernourished people in the total population is the indicator known as prevalence of undernourishment (PoU). See Annexes 2 TABLES,and 3 of this reportFIGURES for further details. Ecullentem facerrum quam,& quatet occusBOXES acepro modit quibus autat laut omnihitias sitat. TABLES 2.8 Net changes in agricultural 3.10 Total private forest and forest area, by country/territory, plantation investment in 2.1 Countries with net gains in 2000–2010 18 developing countries, 2 011 44 agricultural area and net losses in 2.9 Estimate of (A) proportion 3 .11 Ministry with main forest area, 2000–2010 16 of total area of land-use change responsibility for forest 3.1 Examples of coordination associated with various proximate policy, 2008 44 between sectors, as evident in drivers of deforestation, and (B) A.1 Countries classified sectoral policies 34 absolute net forest area change according to dominant associated with proximate drivers climatic domain 100 3.2 Examples of reasons for of deforestation, by region, allowing forest conversion and 2000–2010 21 related conditions 36 BOXES 2.10 Proportion of deforestation 3.3 Comparison of country attributed to various drivers in capacities for forest area change 1.1 SDGs and targets that refer seven South American countries, explicitly to agriculture and forests 5 monitoring with the quality of 1990–2005 21 reported data on drivers derived 3.1 Importance of law from the REDD+ readiness reports 3.1 Percentage of 60 national enforcement in preventing illegal of 45 countries 46 policy documents (from 27 forest conversion 38 countries) addressing land-use 4.1 Increases in forest area and change between forest and 3.2 Example of legal provisions improvements in food security, agriculture, by policy type 30 on forest conversion, and 1990–2015 55 implementation challenges, 3.2 Factors contributing to forest in Papua New Guinea 38 A.1 Number of policy documents loss, as stated (single mention) in analysed and contents of the forest policies of seven countries 3.3 Indonesia’s One Map 102 policy databases exhibiting decreases in forest area initiative 46 and increases in agricultural area A.2 Countries used for the 3.4 Brazil’s Rural Environmental in 2000–2010 30 analyses presented in figures Registry 46 3.1–3.5 103 3.3 Priorities listed in 4.1 Key factors contributing to 34 agriculture and forest policies positive trends in food security FIGURES in 18 countries 32 and forest cover in Chile 57 3.4 Benefits of forests, as 2.1 Land area by major land-use 4.2 Key factors contributing to mentioned in agriculture policies class, 2010 13 positive trends in food security (ten countries) 32 and forest cover in Costa Rica 61 2.2 Net annual average change 3.5 Strategies for food in forest and agricultural land, by 4.3 Key factors contributing to production in agriculture policies climatic domain, 2000–2010 13 positive trends in food security (nine countries) 32 and forest cover in the Gambia 63 2.3 Net annual average forest 3.6 Changes in management area change, by climatic domain 4.4 Key factors contributing to rights to publicly owned forests, (000 ha per year) 13 positive trends in food security 1990–2010 34 and forest cover in Georgia 67 2.4 Percentage of net forest change 3.7 Typical stages of a process and rural population change, 4.5 Key factors contributing to for declassifying a forest area by climatic domain, 2000–2010 15 positive trends in food security before permits for conversion and forest cover in Ghana 69 2.5 Net annual average change may be allocated 36 in agricultural and forest area in 4.6 Key factors contributing to 3.8 Relationship between countries grouped by income positive trends in food security investment in agriculture, change category, 2000–2010 15 and forest cover in Tunisia 73 in forest area, and poverty 41 2.6 Net annual average change 4.7 Key factors contributing to 3.9 Public expenditure on forests, in agricultural and forest area in positive trends in food security forest growth rates, and the forest subregions, 2000–2010 16 and forest cover in Viet Nam 77 sector’s contribution to national 2.7 Net annual average change gross domestic product 41 4.8 Integrated policy for forests, in agricultural and forest area in food security and sustainable subregions, 2000–2010 16 livelihoods – lessons from the Republic of Korea 78 | v | FOREWORD State of the World’s Forests 2016 could not be better However, agriculture is still the major driver of timed, as FAO is gearing up to fulfil its key role deforestation globally, and agricultural, forestry in helping countries develop national plans, and land policies are often at odds. policies and programmes to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 2030 State of the World’s Forests 2016 shows that Agenda recognizes that we can no longer look at some countries have been able to reconcile food, livelihoods and the management of natural the aspirations of the different sectors, resources separately. It calls for a coherent and increasing the agricultural productivity and integrated approach to sustainability across all food security of their populations while also agricultural sectors and food systems. halting and even reversing deforestation. The report presents case studies for seven such This report explores the challenges and countries, and others have made similar opportunities represented by the complex transitions. The challenge today is to interrelationship between forests, agriculture encourage such positive trends in countries – and sustainable development. It demonstrates especially low-income countries – in which that the sustainable management of both food insecurity is still rife and where forests forests and agriculture, and their integration in are still being lost. land-use plans, is essential for achieving the SDGs, ensuring food security and tackling Integrated land-use planning provides an climate change. essential strategic framework for balancing land uses. Importantly, such planning We know that forests and trees support processes must be participatory – because sustainable agriculture by, for example, it is farmers and other rural people who stabilizing soils and climate, regulating water must ultimately put the plans into practice, flows, giving shade and shelter, and providing a and will do so only if they meet their needs habitat for pollinators and the natural predators and interests.