2nd World Congress of Agroforestry gets underway

From 23-28 August hundreds of agroforestry scientists, educators, practitioners and policy makers from all corners of the globe are gathering in Nairobi for this highlight event. Follow the Congress online from our blog

Keynote speakers on the opening day of the Congress include:

• Nobel Prize Laureate, Kenyan environmental and political activist Wangari Maathai
• Rajendra K. Pachauri who has served as the chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change since 2002
• Director General of the World Agroforestry Centre, Dennis Garrity
• Executive Director of UNEP, Achim Steiner
• Founder, M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation and "Father of India's Green Revolution", M. S. Swaminathan
• Author, conservationist, activist and Chairman of Wildlife Direct, Richard Leakey
• President of Ecoagriculture Partners, Sara Scherr

The Congress, themed Agroforestry, the future of global land use includes symposia, technical sessions, vigorous discussions and informative field trips.

Among the top issues to be discussed is the potential for agroforestry to deliver multiple benefits to the world's rapidly growing populations; from combating climate change and eradicating poverty to boosting food production and providing sustainable sources of timber.

During the five days of the Congress, tree geneticists will explain successful processes for domesticating tree species such as rubber, coffee and indigenous fruits. Economists will present findings of studies on value-adding and improving access to markets. And soil scientists will debate the best tree-based systems for reversing land degradation.

For more information on the visit the Congress website