24 March 2014, IISD news - 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.

Source: http://forests-l.iisd.org/news/