APFW2025: Smallholder tree farming: A “quiet revolution” in Asia-Pacific

Smallholder tree farmers are emerging as crucial players in securing a sustainable wood supply for the Asia-Pacific region, according to experts convening at a side event during Asia-Pacific Forestry Week (APFW) 2025 entitled “Smallholder tree farming in Asia-Pacific: challenges and opportunities ahead.”

Co-organized by the International Tropical Timber Organization (ITTO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the session brought together policymakers, researchers, and practitioners from across the region to examine how smallholders can drive sustainable wood production amid growing global demand.

Opening the session, Robert Nasi, Director General of CIFOR and Director of Science at CIFOR-ICRAF, described smallholder tree farming as a “quiet revolution” transforming wood supply systems across the region. Agroforestry and smallholder tree farming provide not only wood but also income, food security, and ecosystem services, he said, emphasizing the multifunctionality and resilience of these systems.

Representing ITTO, Jennifer Conje, Director of Forest Management, highlighted ITTO’s ongoing work to strengthen legal and sustainable wood supply chains with smallholder tree farmers in Indonesia, Viet Nam, Malaysia, Thailand and India to meet the growing demand for wood and ensure that small producers benefit from growing markets.

A presentation by ITTO Project Manager Tetra Yanuariadi provided an overview of current and projected trends in wood production and trade in Asia and the Pacific. He noted that industrial roundwood production in the region has increased by 45 percent over the past two decades, but demand continues to outpace supply. “As production from natural forests declines, smallholder tree farming and agroforestry will be vital to meeting future wood demand,” he said.

The event also marked the launch of a new publication from FAO and CIFOR-ICRAF, “Agroforestry for wood production – Insights from multifunctional smallholder tree-farming systems in Asia and the Pacific.” The report, developed in consultation with ITTO and other partners, identifies enabling conditions and strategies to enhance smallholder contributions to sustainable wood supply while supporting rural livelihoods and ecosystem services.

Himlal Baral of CIFOR-ICRAF and Faustine Zoveda of FAO presented findings from the report, noting that smallholders manage millions of hectares of tree-based systems across Asia. “In Indonesia alone, smallholders manage more than three million hectares of tree farming systems,” said Zoveda. “As industrial plantations slow and natural forest production declines, the contribution of smallholders will be increasingly vital to meeting the region’s timber needs sustainably.”

Panellists from Indonesia, Fiji, Nepal, and India shared national experiences and perspectives on challenges and opportunities for smallholder tree farming.

• Indonesia outlined its ambitious plan to expand community and social forestry to 12.7 million hectares by 2030.
• Fiji presented its “30 million trees in 15 years” initiative, emphasizing the role of Indigenous landowners and smallholders in achieving reforestation targets.
• Nepal highlighted how community and private forestry initiatives, supported by FAO and the Green Climate Fund, are enhancing resilience and supporting livelihoods in the Chure region.

India showcased the success of its agroforestry sector, which now supplies around 90 percent of the country’s industrial timber needs, underpinned by policy reforms and strong partnerships with industry.

In closing the session, Sheila Wertz-Kanounnikoff, Senior Forestry Officer at FAO, emphasized that supporting smallholders is crucial to meeting the rising demand for timber while safeguarding forests and livelihoods. “Smallholder systems are diverse and resilient,” she said. “They offer real solutions to the region’s wood supply gap, but continued policy support, market access, and investments are essential to unlock their full potential.”

The event concluded with a call for stronger collaboration among governments, the private sector, and development partners to scale up smallholder tree farming as part of a sustainable, inclusive, and climate-resilient wood economy in the Asia-Pacific region.