International Day of Forests | Forests and Food, March 21, 2025

As far as the eye can see, a green ocean stretches, covering a third of the Earth's surface. Be it mysterious, ancestral, wild or yet to be conquered, the forest fascinates, frightens and is the object of everyone's desire. Unfathomable, thought to be a hostile territory to be dominated and exploited, it was perceived for centuries as a mere reserve of wood. Yet, this inglorious vision hides a far more precious treasure: subsistence.

As time goes by, the forest evolves, generous as always. From the smallest blade of grass to the giants of the wood, from welcoming clearings to deep shadows, it reveals its secrets and nourishes everyone who knows how to appreciate it. In spring, it adorns itself with tender shoots and flowers bursting with freshness. In summer, its fruits ripen under the sun, hidden among the foliage. Autumn transforms this world into a pantry of a thousand flavors: mushrooms, golden seeds and nuts fall in abundance. Even in winter, when the cold freezes the universe, unsuspected treasures are hidden beneath the bark, ready to feed those who know how to seek them out.

However, this nourishing role is gradually fading, stifled by neglect and consumption patterns disconnected from the living. Yet, the forest remains an invisible but fundamental link in human nutrition: it nourishes through picking, enriches the soil, supports agriculture, provides livelihoods and supplies the energy needed for cooking.

Despite its 650 million hectares of forests, Africa remains the most affected continent by acute food insecurity, which affected nearly 240 million people in 2023. How can we explain such a nonsense? The answer lies in the rediscovery of the hidden potential of the forest. Much more than a natural sanctuary, it actively contributes to food and nutrition security by influencing its four aspects: availability, access, use and stability of the resources. 

Availability: Forests, Living Reservoirs of Nutrition
Forests contribute directly and indirectly to food availability. They provide a wide variety of plant and animal foods - fruits, vegetables, mushrooms, meat, fish, and insects - that feed many rural populations. In the Congo Basin, approximately 4.6 million tons of bushmeat are harvested annually. Also appreciated in urban areas as a prestige dish, this resource is subject to regulations aimed at limiting overexploitation and preserving biodiversity. Forests also support livestock farming by providing fodder, facilitating access to animal protein.

They influence soil fertility by capturing water and nutrients before re-offering them to crops. They also contribute to water supply for irrigation and fishing. By sheltering pollinators and natural predators, they promote sustainable agricultural yields, particularly in systems with low chemical inputs. 

Access: Beneath the Leaves, Resources and Rights
Forests nourish bodies as much as they support local economies. In Africa, millions of people reap their livelihoods therefrom: firewood, wild fruits, medicinal plants and shea nuts. For many women, these resources are not just a supplement, they are key to their economic independence. In West Africa, more than 4 million of them make a living from shea, whose harvesting and processing represent up to 80% of their income.

This economy remains in the shadows. Relegated to the informal sector, it escapes statistics and public support. Officially, forestry jobs are underestimated, unseen in agricultural or trade figures. But upon closer inspection, the figures are quite impressive: more than 800 million people depend on forests for food, heating, sales or barter.

But having a forest on your doorstep does not guarantee access to it. Its use relies on a fragile balance, caught between ancestral rights, state regulations and external pressures. Communities that used to live in complete harmony with their environment, must now deal with restrictions, competition and increasing uncertainty.

Use: Diets Rich in Life
Forests are central to diets, contributing to the nutritional quality of the populations, particularly in Africa. Where communities rely heavily on forest resources for their livelihoods, they provide nutrient-rich functional foods, thus enriching dietary diversity and supporting individual health.

For example, fruits such as baobab, which contain up to five times more vitamin C than oranges, offer a valuable alternative for children who fall short of these nutrients. Similarly, tree and shrub leaves are an important source of protein, iron, calcium and vitamins, compensating for the deficiencies frequently observed in diets dominated by cereals. Although their energy contribution is low to moderate, wild foods can account for up to 36% of total vitamin A and 20% of dietary iron in Gabon. In regions where micronutrient deficiencies are common, even small amounts of these foods can have a significant impact on children's nutritional status and cognitive development.

Stability: Between Food in Crisis and Hope for Tomorrow
Food stability, often linked to the constancy of the resources, is frequently found at the edges of forests. In times of crisis, a fallen fruit or a neglected tuber can transform a day without meals into a moment of survival. In northern Senegal, for example, resources such as fiber extracted from Grewia bicolor, a multi-tasking shrub and seeds of Combretum aculeatum sustain the communities, providing vital nutrients when harvests fail or markets are inaccessible. In times of crisis, they provide food resources and ecosystem services such as water regulation, erosion protection and the creation of microclimates that help agriculture growth.

Crop wild relatives (CWRs), such as teff or sorghum, play a key role in strengthening the biodiversity and resilience of agricultural systems. They facilitate pollination, enrich soils and contribute to food diversity, while providing lasting solutions to future agricultural challenges. These plants, which adapt to harsh environments, are a guarantee of sustainability and a beacon of hope for future generations.

Did forests leave humans hungry? Never. They have nourished, healed and stabilized, ensuring both abundance and balance. But not all of their contributions are interchangeable. Some of them, such as phylogenetic and functional diversity, are irreplaceable. Their loss reduces our options for the future.

Yet, anything that you cannot measure remains ignored. Until we precisely assess the value of forests and the services they provide, their role in food security and ecological resilience will remain underestimated. Ecosystem Natural Capital Accounting (ENCA) is an operational tool that can fill this gap: by turning into tangible data what scientists, local communities and land managers have long observed, it establishes these realities in political and economic choices.

It is therefore urgent that each stakeholder assume their responsibilities. It is up to decision-makers to fully integrate this knowledge into food security strategies. It is up to researchers to explore and promote little-known edible plants. It is up to consumers to reconnect with nature and adopt respectful consumption practices. It is up to industry to call for an ethical approach, preserving rather than overexploiting.

Ignoring these commitments means the disappearance of forests and suffer its consequences. There is a Congolese saying that goes: "The forest precedes man; the desert follows him." "If we don't choose the forest today, tomorrow there will be nothing left to choose.