CIFOR–ICRAF publishes over 750 publications every year on agroforestry, forests and climate change, landscape restoration, rights, forest policy and much more – in multiple languages.

CIFOR–ICRAF addresses local challenges and opportunities while providing solutions to global problems for forests, landscapes, people and the planet.

We deliver actionable evidence and solutions to transform how land is used and how food is produced: conserving and restoring ecosystems, responding to the global climate, malnutrition, biodiversity and desertification crises. In short, improving people’s lives.

Transitioning to Food Security and Health

Agroforestry’s multifunctional landscape resulting from diversification can provide a healthy and balanced diet to households. Agroforestry systems can benefit food insecure families and communities, and especially women and children, to derive nutritious food from crops, livestock and trees, as well as non-timber tree products that can be a source of income. Further, by reducing the dependency on chemical inputs, they can lower the risk caused by those inputs on human health. By improving ecosystem diversity and processes, agroforestry may also help combating zoonoses and other human diseases. Overall, agroforestry can play a critical role in improving food availability, access (via increased household income), utilization (via value-addition), and stability, which all contribute to achieve sustainable food security and better health. However, why is food insecurity still an issue? Are we lacking in any supporting infrastructure, governance and policies? How do we conceive agroforestry systems that really ensure food security and health? This session aims to find ways for agroforestry to contribute to transitioning to food security and human health.  

CIFOR-ICRAF Speaker

Athanase Mukuralinda

Country Coordinator, Rwanda, CIFOR-ICRAF

Presentations

Nutritionally Underutilized Species in Ethiopian coffee agroforests: local solutions to local problems
Daniel Callo-Concha, Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany 

Agoforestry stakes for climbing beans, a sustainable solution for increased yields in semi-arid Rwanda
Athanase Mukuralinda, World Agroforestry, Rwanda 

The Forest Garden Approach: Food Security and Dietary Diversity Impact
Andrew Zacharias, Tress for the Future, United States 

Measuring resilience capacity of Indigenous Peoples food systems: what role for agroforestry? 
Pamela Katic, Natural Resources Insitute (NRI), University of Greenwich, United Kingdom