Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025: Current Affairs 24 Oct 2025

Why in News ? Recently, the Global Forest Resources Assessment (GFRA) 2025 was released by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in Bali.

About GFRA 2025:

• Released by:Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations
• Aim: To provide reliable data on forest area, condition, management, and useto guide global forest policy, sustainable management, and conservation efforts.
• It evaluatesthe status and trends of the world’s forests.

Key Findings: 

• Over 90 percentof the world’s forests are naturally regenerating.
• The global rate of deforestation continues to decline.
• The net loss of forest area has dropped by more than half compared to the 1990s.
• Forests span more than 4 billion hectares worldwide, with nearly half located in tropical regions.
• Naturally regenerating forests occupy 83 billion hectares, accounting for about 92% of the total global forest area.
• Primary forests constitute nearly one-third of the total global forest area.
• The rate of expansion of planted forest areas has slowed down globally.
• The world’s total forest growing stock, biomass, and carbon reserves have shown an overall increase.

Key Findings related to India:

• India’s Global Ranking: India has climbed to the 9th position globallyin total forest area, improving from the 10th position in the previous assessment. This reflects India’s consistent efforts in afforestation and sustainable forest management.
• Annual Forest Area Gain: India has retained its 3rd position worldwidein annual forest area gain, demonstrating the country’s steady progress in expanding green cover.
• Government Initiatives Recognized: The improvement in ranking is attributed to several national initiatives and programmes focused on forest protection, afforestation, and community participation.
• Key Contributing Campaigns: The “Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam”campaign has played a major role by inspiring citizens across India to actively participate in tree plantation and conservation efforts.
• Community Participation: The GFRA 2025 acknowledges growing public involvementin forest conservation, emphasizing that people’s participation is crucial for achieving a greener and more sustainable future.
• The improved ranking reinforces India’s commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG-13 and SDG-15)related to climate action and life on land. It also strengthens India’s position as a global leader in sustainable forest management and climate resilience.

About Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) :

Established on: October 16, 1945

Founder: United Nations (UN) :

Mandate: To coordinate international efforts to eliminate hunger, enhance nutrition, and alleviate food insecurity stricken societies.

Headquarters:

Office Location: Rome, Italy

Membership:

• Total Membership: 194 member nations (as of recent years)
• Membership from India: Yes. India is a founding member of FAO (1945).

Key Functions:

• End Hunger and Malnutrition
• Promote Sustainable Agriculture
• Data Collection and Research
• Support Rural Development
• Emergency Response

Policy Support:

FAO Important Reports :

• FAO publishes several influential global reports:
• State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World (SOFI)
• State of the World’s Forests (SOFO)
• State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA)
• State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA)
• FAO Statistical Yearbook
• Motto
• “Fiat Panis,” which means, “Let there be bread.