森林能帮着为世界提供粮食吗?

Can Forests Help Feed the World? 森林能帮着为世界提供粮食吗?

Experts predict nine billion people will live on our planet¹ by 2050. They say by that time demand for food will be two times what it is now. Officials are worried about that prediction because many people already suffer from a lack of food. More than 800 million people go to bed hungry. 

A solution to the problem may be as close as our forests. A new report says forests could help reduce hunger and improve nutrition if they are properly managed.

Sayay Veoun works² at the Cambodian Federation³ for Bee Conservation. He says some of the best honey in the world comes from forests in southern Cambodia.

He says they work with five local honey buyers who work with 42 honey collectors.

People like Hak Laang buy the honey at stores in the capital, Phnom Penh.

She says it smells like fresh flowers. She says the smell means it is natural honey from the jungle.

Healthy forests provide half of the fresh fruit we eat worldwide. They also produce valuable crops like coffee, avocados, cashews and other healthful seeds and nuts.

Bhaskar Vira is the director of the University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute and an expert with the International Union of Forest Research Organizations, or IUFRO. It recently released⁴ a report at the United Nations about forest and jungle foods.

Mr. Vira says crops that grow on trees can help feed people living in and around forests.

“It’s like an insurance policy. Having access to those tree-based foods is hugely important when you can’t buy food from other sources or when you can’t produce food because your fields have failed.”

The growing of crops requires fields. Many fields are created by clearing, or removing, trees. But Mr. Vira says properly managed fields and forests can exist together. He says if you increase food production in the field, you can keep the forest and trees. He says they are important for the products and services they provide.

The report says that forest health and economic value improves when people who live in or near forests are given greater control of them. For example, a project in Ghana aims for proper management of forests and fields together. The people involved hope to grow the Allanblackia plant. The oil from its seed can be used in soap, beauty products and food.

Okai Michael Henchard leads the project. He says he will help people who live nearby. He says they earn money and get trees on their land. The trees provide shade and improve air quality. Mr. Henchard says the project also helps fight climate change.

Words in This Story

properly – adv. in a way that is acceptable⁵ or suitable

manage – v. to take care of and make decisions about

insurance – n. an agreement in which a person makes regular payments⁶ to a company and the company promises to pay money if the person is injured or dies, or to pay money equal to the value of something (such as a house or car) if it is damaged, lost, or stolen

jungle – n. a tropical⁷ forest where plants and trees grow very thickly

soap – n. a substance that is used for washing something

1 planet   

n.行星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun. 海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Rubbish, however, is only part of the problem of polluting our planet. 然而, 垃圾只是我们这个星球的污染问题的一个方面。

2 works   

n.作品，著作；工厂，活动部件，机件

参考例句：

• We expect writers to produce more and better works.我们期望作家们写出更多更好的作品。
• The novel is regarded as one of the classic works.这篇小说被公认为是最优秀的作品之一。

3 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

4 released   

v.释放( release的过去式和过去分词 )；放开；发布；发行

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• With hindsight it is easy to say they should not have released him. 事后才说他们本不应该释放他，这倒容易。

5 acceptable   

adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的

参考例句：

• The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
• Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。

6 payments   

n.支付，付款，缴纳，报酬( payment的名词复数 )；付出的[要付出的]款项；报答，报偿

参考例句：

• Welfare payments cease as soon as an individual starts a job. 一旦就业，即停发福利救济。
• The law can compel fathers to make regular payments for their children. 这项法律可强制父亲定期支付子女的费用。

7 tropical   

adj.热带的，热带的，炎热的

参考例句：

• You must grow these tropical flowers in a glasshouse.你必须把这些热带花卉种在温室里。
• This disease is widespread in tropical areas.这种疾病在热带地区蔓延很广。