Preservation and restoration of forests for climate and food security

The International Day of Forests 2025 draws attention to the global destruction and degradation of forests and emphasises the significance of forests for food security with the motto “Forests and Food”.

“Forests and Foods - Nurture the Forest to Nourish the People” - this is the motto of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) for this year's International Day of Forests on 21 March 2025. The topic highlights the significance of healthy forests for nutrition and climate change mitigation. In addition to providing raw materials, food and income, forests also play a critical role as natural carbon sinks, which are essential for mitigating climate change and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Forests all over the world are severely threatened by deforestation, leading to a loss of biodiversity and vital ecosystem services. Climate change intensifies these challenges even more, as it intensifies forest fires, droughts and pest infestations that put additional pressure on the multifunctional role of forests.

Unsustainable land use practices lead to the progressive transformation and degradation of forests, thus endangering the livelihoods of local, often indigenous, communities, which depend on forest ecosystem services such as food, water, wood and medicinal plants.

The impacts of climate change have an adverse effect on the multiple ecosystem functions of forests and reduce their productivity. This represents a major threat to global food security. The reason for this lies in the fact that trees and forests regulate the regional water balance, provide protection against erosion and are an important habitat for a vast number of species. These functions are essential for agricultural production. Droughts, soil erosion and a decline in species lead to lower yields or crop failures. Furthermore, trees and forests themselves provide a wide variety of food for humans and animals.

For example, the IKI supports projects at the interface between climate change mitigation, sustainable development and land management in order to ensure that forest ecosystems and their ecosystem services are preserved. In doing so, the IKI addresses various international efforts for the protection and restoration of forests, such as the Bonn Challenge, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, the EU regulation on deforestation-free supply chains and makes a contribution to Germany's international commitments and goals for climate action and biodiversity conservation.

Projects in the field of agroforestry, for example, combine tree planting work with agricultural activities, thus achieving improved food production and carbon sequestration. This contributes to the resilience of both forest ecosystems and local communities, and promotes a stable and high-quality food supply in the face of climate change.

Celebrating this important day serves as a reminder that our ecosystems and their benefits for humanity are closely linked. By continuing to support initiatives to protect and restore forests,, the global community can make a significant contribution to the preservation of forests, which has a positive impact on the ecological balance of our planet and ensures food security for the generations to come.

Click here for details on the funding area preserving and restoring natural carbon sinks.