State of the Rainforest 2014

complicate matters further by a ecting crop yields in many areas. 77 Increased production per hectare and agricultural expansion into fallow areas and degraded lands will be important. Some forms of productivity increase are easy to envision: Put two heads of cattle instead of one per hectare of pasture in the Amazon. Methods for increasing productivity and product diversity of smallholder agriculture in the tropics through agroforestry techniques are also well tested. Increased productivity is also at the heart of the big actors in agribusiness, but based on intensive use of fertilizers and pesticides. There are limits to how much production can be intensified, and how much forest can be cleared, before the effects on water, soil and climate warming threaten food production. There is no single solution to the challenges of food security, and the distribution and consumption side of the issue will be just as important at the production side. How we deal with issues like global distribution of food, and the approximately one third of food produced that is lost or wasted, will have major impacts. Smarter food production, with greater emphasis on the effects on the ecosystems that supports agriculture, will play a significant role. Trees on farms and food from the forest will be part of this smarter food production – and smarter eating, where more nuts, roots, leaves and even insects may feature on the menu.

income from natural forests and other natural areas accounted for 28 percent of total household income, nearly as much as crops. Also people living at a distance from forests are highly dependent on resources from the forest: 2.4 billion people use woodfuel for cooking, and 1.3 billion people live in homes where forest products are the main building materials. 74 The TEEB review estimated that ecosystem services and other non-market goods account for between 47% and 89% of the ‘GDP of the Poor’. 75 ‘GDP of the poor’ is an attempt to measure and demonstrate the value of the goods and services that millions of poor people receive from nature, but which are not monetized, and thus not captured when standard GDP is measured. Sustainable management of natural resources – or natural capital – is a key to poverty reduction for a large part of the world’s poor – as also reflected in the Millennium Development Goals, and discussions of new global sustainable development goals post-2015. Increasing food production, maintaining forests According to the FAO, 925 million people worldwide suffer from food insecurity. 76 Meeting future global demand for food without increasing the pressure forests and other ecosystems will require new approaches where natural systems and agriculture are integrated or mutually enforcing. Climate change is likely to

Food from the forest 78

Tropical forests provide an astounding variety and amount of food, and play a highly significant role as a source of food for some of the world’s poorest people. Nutrient-rich forest foods also often form a critical supplement to otherwise poor diets. Wild leaves, fresh or dried, are often used in soups, stews and relishes which accompany carbohydrate staples (such as rice or maize), adding flavour and nutrition. Leaves are a source of vitamins A and C, protein and micronutrients like calcium and iron, often deficient in diets of vulnerable communities. The protein content of baobab leaves, for instance, is around 14%. Thousands of species of wild fruits are consumed worldwide. They represent a good source of minerals and vitamins, and may contribute significant quantities of calories. Seeds and nuts add calories, oil and protein to diets. Fats and oils are expensive for poor households to buy, and especially children need energy- dense food sources like nuts and seeds as they are important for the absorption of vitamins A, D, E and K.

Many forest plants have edible roots and tubers that provide carbohydrates and some minerals. In addition, roots and tubers are often central ingredients in traditional medicines. Mushrooms, gathered wild from forests and woodlands, are added to sauces and relishes for flavouring and are generally a good source for vitamin B, calcium and potassium. As several species contain proteins, they sometimes provide a substitute for meat. Indigenous peoples living in the rainforest have elaborate techniques for collecting honey from wild colonies. Honey is not only an attractive sweetener: it is also an important ingredient in many traditional medicines. Wild animals and fish often form an important part of the diet of people living in or close to forests; for some people they are the only source of animal protein. In at least 62 countries worldwide, wildlife and fish provide at least 20% of the animal protein in rural diets. There is great regional variation in wild meat consumption. 79

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STATE OF THE RAINFOREST 2014