Established in 1991 in the Forest Products Division (now the Forest Products and Industries Division), the programme "Promotion and Development of Non-wood Forest Products (NWFP)" is one of the priority areas of FAO's Forestry Department. Our mission is to improve the sustainable utilization of NWFP in order to contribute to the wise management of the world's forests, to conserve their biodiversity, and to improve income-generation and food security.

The programme accomplishes this mission through four main areas of intervention:

- gathering, analysis and dissemination of information
- appraisal of NWFP socio-economic contribution to rural development
- networking
- technical assistance

For a summary on our programme click here

The programme ensures coordination within FAO in the multidisciplinary dimensions of NWFP development.

Beside the NWFP Programme, other technical units in FAO cover various aspects of NWFP promotion and development: among others, the Forestry Policy and Information Division , the Forest Products Trade Programme, the Sustainable Management of Natural Forests Programme, and some units of the Agriculture Department and of the Economic and Social Department .