Montpellier will host, for the first time in Europe, the fourth World Congress on Agroforestry. World Agroforestry Congresses are held every five years. Previous congresses were held in the USA (Orlando), Kenya (Nairobi) and India (New Delhi).
Prestigious speakers, top political figures and representatives of civil society are expected. By combining science and dialogue with society, the congress will be an opportunity to evaluate the potential of agroforestry to ensure the agro-ecological transition of world agriculture. At the event, the International Union for Agroforestry (IUAF) will be created.
Agroforestry - what is it?
Agroforestry is the deliberate integration of trees into crops and pastures. It is now recognized as a major option for combating land degradation, addressing climate change issues and contributing to global food security. It has a major role to play in achieving most of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
In the programme
Three days of plenary and parallel sessions (35 in total, featuring more than 200 communications), poster sessions, field trips, side events, cultural events for the general public, etc.
Topics to be covered
Climate change
Fight against poverty/food security
Successes and failures of agroforestry
Desertification/land degradation/soil rehabilitation
Genetic resources
Gender in agroforestry
Public policies
Business/private sector/finance
Socioeconomic dimensions of agroforestry
Why Montpellier?
An ancient practice but a recent scientific subject, the agroforestry concept first appeared in the 1970s in international think-tanks seeking solutions to the problem of tropical deforestation.
In France, the first research on agroforestry was conducted at the University of Montpellier. The idea was then developed at the heart of the Agropolis scientific community thanks to the research teams of CIRAD, INRA and IRD.
Today, more than 15 research units in France are interested in agroforestry, bringing together around 120 researchers.
Agroforestry, an international research subject, is now part of the agronomic education curriculum of higher education institutions around the world .
Agroforestry 2019: a green congress!
The congress organizers have opted for:
- Voluntary donations to offset the footprint of participant travel: the funds raised will be used for agroforestry research and development projects related to soil protection,
- Ecological footprint limits: preference given to local suppliers, natural or organic products, paper printing reduced to a minimum, preference given to public transport. Key dates
Call for papers open until 31/10/2018 - Opening of registrations: September 2018.
Congress organized by CIRAD and INRA in partnership with the World Agroforestry Center, Agropolis International and Montpellier University of Excellence (I-SITE MUSE).
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