Findings by the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization show how healthy forests are tied to agriculture
ROME, July 18 (Thomson Reuters Foundation) - A growing demand for food has made agriculture the biggest driver of deforestation globally, yet forests are needed to put food on our plates, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said on Monday.
Here are some facts that explain how:
* Forests are home to more than 80 percent of all species of terrestrial animals, plants and insects. They are especially important for hundreds of millions of people in rural areas.
* Worldwide, 1.6 billion people depend on forests for their livelihoods, including around 70 million indigenous people.
* Forests are essential for conserving water resources, storing carbon and preserving soils, which is important for agriculture. They also help to protect people and land from storms and floods.
* In developing countries many people rely on forests for micronutrients found in leaves, seeds, nuts, fruits, mushrooms, honey, insects and wild animals, which are crucial to prevent micronutrient deficiency, or so-called "hidden hunger".
* Forests contribute to reducing poverty and improving food security. Some 2.4 billion people rely on forests for fuel for cooking and filtering the water they drink.
* Rivers fed by forests are essential to supplying water for nearly 50 percent of the world's largest cities, including New York, Jakarta and Caracas.
Sources: United Nations, Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)
(Reporting by Magdalena Mis, editing by Alex Whiting; Please credit Thomson Reuters Foundation, the charitable arm of Thomson Reuters, that covers humanitarian news, women's rights, corruption and climate change. Visit news.trust.org)
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