Nairobi (Kenya), January 17th 2011 – ICRAF officially confirmed its wish to join the CBFP initiative. ICRAF is committed to abide by the principles of sustainable management of forest ecosystems in Central Africa through Agroforestry based policy and scientific knowledge. Being working in the West and Central Africa since 1987, ICRAF experiences and scientific knowledge will contribute to the Congo Basin Forest Partnership.

ICRAF’s vision is rural transformation in the developing world where smallholder households strategically increase their use of trees in agricultural landscapes to improve their food security, nutrition, income, health, shelter, energy resources and environmental sustainability. Its mission is to generate science-based knowledge on the role of trees in agricultural landscapes and to use its research to advance policies and practices to benefit the poor and the environment.

With the actual pressure on the Congo Basin forests, it will be important to use the agroforestry approach which is uniquely suited to address the key environmental issues of the region such as:

♦ Enriching the asset base of poor household through farm-grown trees;

♦ Maximizing the productivity of agroforestry systems to help improve the productivity of crops and livestock;

♦ Improving the income of poor households by better linking them to markets;

♦ Expanding the multi-functionality of agricultural landscapes by balancing increased productivity with the sustainable management of the natural resources; and

♦ Maintaining or enhancing the supply ecosystems services in agricultural landscapes

“Welcome” to our new member.

For further information, please visit the “World Agroforestry Centre” (ICRAF) website