As scientists strive to make nature's value visible, a large portion of forests and wild biodiversity known as non-wood forest products (NWFPs) continues to remain largely invisible and unaccounted for. At the core of the problem is wide disaccord over what is a NWFP (and correlate
terms), a debate which has been running in circles for nearly three decades. This paper reviews existing terms and definitions, with the aim of improving forest statistics and the visibility of NWFPs. The paper starts by (1) clarifying boundaries between agricultural and forest products, so
forest products currently under agriculture can be "reclaimed"; (2) drawing on lessons from fisheries to distinguish between wild and farmed products, and associated activities; (3) moving beyond product towards activity classifications to capture gathering that may not be accounted
for under crops or forest products because it takes place across landscapes and outside of these sectoral boundaries.
Combining traditional knowledge on native plant species with scientific plant expertise has been established as a critical factor to improve success of restoration interventions, yet evidence on its incorporation across large scales and in Africa, is scant. Even less known are the effective socio‐economic benefits that communities have reaped from restoration activities. This article builds on Sacande and Berrahmouni's paper, further supported by both socio‐economic and biophysical data from large‐scale restoration activities in Senegal, Niger, and Nigeria in support of Africa's Great Green Wall. In total, over 90,000 village households were involved and 56,000 ha of degraded lands planted in 10 countries across the Sahel to initiate restoration in 5 years. Key findings suggest not only ecological benefits, but improvements in livelihoods and health, critical factors underpinning restoration success in the drylands. Results show the profound role native plants and other non‐timber forest products play in the lives and livelihoods of dryland communities. Between 2016 and 2020, 120 tons of seeds were collected from over 110 native plant species and planted in 10 countries, with ecological and economic benefits. Perceived food insecurity significantly decreased in 2020 compared to 2016 observations, declining sharply from 46 to 15% in project sites in Senegal, from 69 to 58% in Niger, and 90 to 25% in Nigeria. In Niger and Senegal, communities generated revenues from fodder species alone of 40 USD/ha per year. The UN decade for Ecosystem restoration 2021–2030 will be an important platform to expand such climate change adaptation and mitigation programs.
A 'business-as-usual' approach to food production will continue to cause mass deforestation. This is detrimental for biodiversity, consequently impacting forest-dwelling communities who depend on forests for the direct provision of food. With the loss of forests comes the loss of farreaching ecosystem services, vital for many facets of food production relied on by the wider population.• SDG 2 and five of its targets (Targets 2.1-2.5) are closely related to forests. These five targets underscore the reciprocity between forests and SDG 2. Forest biodiversity is integral for nutrition and the ability to grow and harvest diverse crops. In turn, investing in small-scale farming systems and sustainable farming techniques can help conserve forests.• If we are to achieve SDG 2 sustainably, we need a reimagined food system that does not polarise agricultural production and the conservation of forest resources. This calls for land management that promotes the maintenance of biodiversity and integrated land-use planning. This is especially evident when examining the relationship between SDG 2 and the other SDGs, most of which are concomitantly contingent on each other.
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