24 March 2014: The World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) has announced the outcomes of the first International Agroforestry Conference, which was convened on the theme, ‘Agroforestry: Greening and feeding the nations in the 21st century.’

The Conference, held from 19-21 March 2014, in Bohol, Philippines, considered the importance of ensuring food security through agroforestry, especially given expected changes in both food production and demand.

The Conference also explored and discussed the science and practice of agroforestry with a particular focus on Southeast Asia and the Philippines. Discussions further considered returning trees to farm landscapes, using trees in conservation agriculture, exploring the potential of sugar palm as fuel, expanding shelterbelts, and adapting to climate change through agroforestry practices.

Discussions on climate change adaptation took particular prominence during the conference in light of projections that estimate that large areas in the Philippines will suffer production losses of between 5 and 25 percent for irrigated rice harvests with impacts on rainfed systems even more severe. Participants noted that agroforestry can increase farm production through crop diversification and the provision of key ecosystem services. Likewise, as crops are increasingly impacted by climate change agroforestry can, according to the conference, provide food, supplementary incomes and services such as soil and water conservation.

The Conference was organized by the Philippine Agroforestry Education and Research Network (PAFERN), University of the Philippines, the Los Baños’ Institute of Agroforestry and Bohol Island State University. ICRAF is a member of CGIAR. [ICRAF Press Release on food security] [ICRAF Press Release on the Congress]