CIFOR-ICRAF and ICAR will host TREESCAPES 2026, South Asia’s first specialized agroforestry and tree-outside forest congress, in New Delhi from 5 to 7 February, 2026. The event will focus on scaling up climate-resilient, tree-based agricultural systems to promote livelihoods, carbon sequestration and sustainable development.
To promote mainstream agroforestry across the region, the International Center for Forestry Research-International Center for Research in Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), in collaboration with the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), will host the first South Asian Agroforestry and Trees Outside Forests (TOF) Congress, TREESCAPES 2026, from February 5 to 7, 2026, at the National Agricultural Science Complex (NASC), Pusa. Campus, New Delhi.
Billed as a landmark regional forum, the three-day congress aims to establish agroforestry and out-of-forest trees as scalable, mainstream solutions for climate-resilient landscapes, sustainable livelihoods and economic development across South Asia. Policy makers, scientists, industry leaders, civil society organisations, farmers and youth from across the region are expected to participate.
The event will be held in the presence of several dignitaries including Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Nepal’s Agriculture and Livestock Development Minister Madan Prasad Pariyar, Maldives’ Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Welfare Ahmed Hassan Didi and Haryana’s Environment, Forest and Wildlife Minister Rao Narbir Singh.
Highlighting the urgency of scaling up agroforestry, CIFOR-ICRAF India Director, Manoj Dabas said tree-based systems already account for about 19.3% of India’s carbon stocks and could help reduce more than 2 billion tonnes of CO₂ equivalent by 2030. He said with over 86% of Indian farmers classified as marginal, it is important to align carbon finance, policy frameworks and locally adapted agroforestry practices. India’s growing dependence on wood imports – more than US$7 billion annually – also underlines the need to strengthen domestic tree-based production systems.
TREESCAPES 2026 will focus on addressing policy, regulatory and institutional gaps through thematic sessions on digital tools, water-secure landscapes, farmer-led innovation, financing, certification, value chains, carbon markets, seed systems, bio-economy opportunities and ecosystem services.
According to FAO’s State of Food and Agriculture 2025, approximately 1.7 billion people globally live in areas affected by declining crop yields due to land degradation. Studies show the role of agroforestry in reducing deforestation and greenhouse gas emissions, while ICAR research confirms its potential to sequester significant carbon without compromising food production.
Jointly organized by CIFOR-ICRAF and ICAR with partners including CIFRI, NABARD and IIFM, TREESCAPES 2026 positions itself as an important platform supporting India’s climate commitments and 2070 net-zero targets while enhancing farmers’ incomes and rural resilience.
