Did you know?
Trees are indispensable for ensuring food security and nutrition around the world.
“Food security exists when all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life”. (World Food Summit, 1996)
2 billion people suffer from nutrient deficiencies
Although we produce more food than ever before, many people around the world have unhealthy or insufficient diets that are missing critical micronutrients such as iron, iodine and vitamin A.
Trees improve nutrition!
Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds offer many vitamins and minerals that are not found in staple crops such as rice, wheat and corn. Many trees grow in wild places or farms where people can access and benefit from their resources.
Baobab fruit (2021-10-21) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
For example, baobab 'superfruits' are full of micronutrients
These fruits contain up to 6x more vitamin C than the same serving size of oranges. For some communities in Burkina Faso, baobab leaves make up 60% of all consumed vegetables — especially during seasons when other foods don't grow well.
Okok harvest (2012-07-23) by Ollivier Girard/CIFORThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
And children living near forests often have better diets
A survey from 27 African sites found that children living in or near forests (up to 45% tree cover) had 25% greater diet diversity than those living in less-forested areas.
Listen to senior scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), Amy Ickowitz summarize the importance of trees for food security and nutrition around the world.
What do forests have to do with food? (2017-12-18) by CIFORThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Many valuable tree foods are unknown or underutilized
Even though we know how important tree foods can be, the large number of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) implies that people are missing out on valuable micronutrients. Instead, humans increasingly rely on a limited variety of foods that are traded internationally.
Aguaje fruit (2021-10-21) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Have you heard of aguaje?
This Amazonian fruit has one of the highest vitamin A concentrations known to science. A 100 g serving of pulp contains 134% the daily recommended value for an adult, and its processed oil has been shown to treat vitamin A deficiency in children.
Tree foods also have traditional significance
Many communities around the world rely on forests to forage fruits, vegetables, mushrooms (left) and other foods that are used in traditional cuisine.
African breadfruit (2021-10-21) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
For example, African breadfruit is a delicacy in Nigeria
Its seeds are cooked with fish and palm oil to prepare traditional 'ukwa' porridge. These giant, 8.5 kg fruits may also help alleviate seasonal food scarcity in rural areas due to their high concentration of calories, minerals and vitamins.
The trees themselves may also have cultural importance
Their leaves, wood, bark, roots and more can be used for timber, firewood, traditional handicrafts and folk medicine.
Palmyra fruit (2021-11-04) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Palmyra palm trees are said to have "801" uses
Various parts of the tree are used for food, medicine, carpentry roof thatching and more. In India, the tree is referred to in the “Tala Vilasam,” a famous Tamil poem, as a “tree of life." The fruits are also a good source of vitamins C and B.
Sycamore fig (2021-10-21) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Some fruits have spiritual significance
Cultivated since the third millennium BCE, the sycamore fig is considered sacred in many parts of Africa and the Middle East. Its leaves, bark, fruit and branches are all used for different purposes. The fruit is especially high in iron.
When tree foods are lost, there may be serious consequences
Because many local communities rely on trees for their daily needs and livelihoods, their loss puts people's well-being at risk. These trees may be lost due to timber harvesting, agriculture, climate change and urbanization, among others.
Listen to Maria Ludiana, a village leader in Sekadau, West Kalimantan, Indonesia discuss how the loss of wild rainforests to palm oil plantations is changing local diets and traditions.
Expansion of oil palm plantations into forests appears to be changing local diets in Indonesia (2018-10-15) by CIFORThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Trees also improve agricultural systems
Many fruits, vegetables and nuts from trees can be grown on farms with more traditional crops such as wheat and rice. This is known as agroforestry. Farmers can continue developing the land with crops while intercropping with valuable trees.
Drumstick (2021-10-21) by Juan Pablo Ramos/FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Drumstick trees can conserve soil and water
When grown in agroforestry systems, these hardy trees fertilize and shade the soil with their spreading leaves. They are drought-resistant and fast growing; the first harvest occurs just six months after planting. Powdered drumstick is also a popular nutritional supplement.
Aerial view of pilot farm. (2020-06-26) by Fiston Wasanga/CIFORThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Food security and nutrition ≠ fewer trees
Producing food does not mean we have to cut down all trees. Whether grown in forests or agroforestry systems, local fruits, vegetables and other tree foods can provide dietary diversity for millions of people.
From Tree to Fork collage (2021-11-16) by FTAThe CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA)
Discover even more nutritious tree foods!
Check out the From Tree to Fork campaign.
1. From Tree to Fork
2. Food.Nature.People
3. Nutriscapes
4. Food from the Forest
5. CIRAD & FAO's Fruits and Vegetables Guide (FN and EN available)
Research:
1. Priority Food Tree and Crop Food Composition Database
2. BRIEF: Contribution of forests and trees to food security and nutrition
3. BRIEF: Linking food, nutrition and environment in Indonesia
4. Collection and consumption of wild forests fruits in rural Zambia
5. Food for thought: The underutilized potential of tropical tree‐sourced foods for 21st century sustainable food systems
6. HLPE Report #12: Nutrition and food systems
7. HLPE Report #11: Sustainable forestry for food security and nutrition
