This report presents the results of the fourth global scientific assessment undertaken in the framework of GFEP. It reflects the importance of policy coherence and integration more than any previous GFEP assessment. It was launched at a time when the United Nations General Assembly sought to adopt a set of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which build upon the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and converge with the post-2015 development agenda. In this context, the eradication of hunger, realisation of food security and the improvement of nutrition were of particular relevance.

By 2050, the international community will face the challenge of providing 9 billion people with food, shelter and energy. Despite impressive productivity increases, there is growing evidence that conventional agricultural strategies will fall short of eliminating global hunger and malnutrition. The assessment report provides comprehensive scientific evidence on how forests, trees and landscapes can be – and must be - an integral part of the solution to this global problem. In other words, we must connect the dots and see the bigger picture.