Maiden congress on South Asian agroforestry by CIFOR-ICRAF concludes in Delhi

The Centre for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) have concluded TREESCAPES 2026, the 1st South Asian Agroforestry & Trees Outside Forests (AF-TOF) Congress at the Bharat Ratna C. Subramaniam Auditorium, National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa Campus, New Delhi.

The three-day regional congress aimed to emerge as a landmark platform for collective deliberation on strengthening tree-based agriculture and trees outside forest systems to enhance climate resilience, restore landscapes, and improve agricultural livelihoods across South Asia and was graced by eminent dignitaries, including Dr Madan Prasad Pariyar, Nepal Agriculture Minitser and Ahmed Hassan Didi, Agriculture Minister of Maldives; along with senior officials from India and other South Asian countries.

Speaking on the occasion Dr ML Jat, Secretary (DARE) & DG (ICAR), stated, “Recent regional studies show that agroforestry has helped reduce deforestation and avoid tens of millions of tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually while supporting rural livelihoods. TREESCAPES demonstrates that scaling success will depend on unlocking green finance, empowering local institutions, and integrating youth and women into extension and entrepreneurship models. For South Asia, tree-based agriculture is not just about restoring landscapes—it is about future-proofing rural economies.”

Manoj Dabas, India Country Director, CIFOR-ICRAF informed, “India’s tree-based systems already account for nearly 20 percent of national carbon stocks, yet the country continues to import over USD 7 billion worth of wood and wood-based products annually, growing at double-digit rates. This contradiction highlights a massive missed opportunity. TREESCAPES has brought together evidence showing that tree-based agriculture can reduce import dependence, strengthen rural incomes for India’s 86 percent marginal farmers, and deliver measurable climate outcomes.”

The two-day Congress brought together policymakers, senior government officials, researchers, industry leaders, financial institutions, civil society organizations, farmers, and youth from across South Asia. The discussions focussed on strengthening policy and regulatory frameworks, expanding forest certification with greater smallholder integration, and leveraging agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) for climate resilience and ecosystem services among others.

 TREESCAPES 2026 is being organised jointly by CIFOR-ICRAF and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), with the ICAR-Central Agroforestry Research Institute (CAFRI), Jhansi, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), and the Indian Institute of Forest Management (IIFM), Bhopal, as Organising Partners.