Forests are vital in achieving food security and improving livelihoods, the Director-General of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Qu Dongyu, said on Monday.

Qu made the remarks on Monday in his opening remarks at the 15th World Forestry Congress being hosted in Seoul, the Republic of Korea.

"Forests are our key partners for achieving the objectives of the 2030 Agenda including combating desertification, achieving food security and improving livelihoods, as well as the Global Forest Goals, the Paris Agreement, the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration, and the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework," Qu said.

"This is an important message to be carried to the important global meetings of the Rio Conventions and other global flora where decisions will be made on the future of the planet and its people, to ensure that forests are an integral part of the solution to current and future challenges," he added.

The Congress, under the theme "Building a Green, Healthy and Resilient Future with Forests", is the first to be convened in the Asia-Pacific region since it was held in Indonesia 43 years ago.

It is also the first to be convened in hybrid format, allowing thousands of people to participate from around the globe.

The 2022 event comes as the world is facing multiple global challenges, including the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, conflicts, the COVID-19 pandemic and soaring food prices, which are hitting the poorest the hardest as they face greater exposure to the negative impacts.

According to FAO, more than 800 million people still suffer from hunger, and 3 billion cannot afford a healthy diet.

"Forests can play a key role in restoring ecosystems with the aim of a better life for all," the FAO Director-General said.