FTA at CPF international conference

The CGIAR Research Program on Forests, Trees and Agroforestry (FTA) is participating through a number of channels in the Working across sectors to halt deforestation and increase forest area – from aspiration to action international conference, organized by the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) and taking place at the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters in Rome, Italy.

The conference brings together a wide range of stakeholders to discuss the challenges of halting and reversing deforestation and to jointly explore ways to accelerate progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to provide substantive input to the High Level Political Forum (HLPF), the United Nations central platform for follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the SDGs, to help achieve targets of halting deforestation and increasing forest cover.

FTA is involved in organizing two sessions at program level, while FTA partners, notably the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) and Agricultural Research for Development (CIRAD), are also heavily involved in the preparation of the event, having supported the coordination of 10 of the total 16 thematic sessions.

View the full program or watch the plenary sessions on the CPF website.

At an overall program level, FTA is leading the organization of a session on stakeholders and coorganizing a session on science and research.

Role of different stakeholders

Wednesday, Feb. 21, 2pm-3:30pm

Hosts: CIFOR, IUFRO, FTA

The session will look at the fact that many drivers of deforestation lie outside the forest sector, are rooted in wider social and economic issues and are related to the interaction of numerous factors, such as stakeholders and value chains at local and global levels. Deforestation and forest degradation, in turn, affect a wide range of actors, threaten income, livelihoods and ways of life for forest-dependent populations. They also compromise the provision of ecosystem services, including biodiversity, carbon, and water and soil protection.

FTA Director Vincent Gitz of CIFOR is moderating.

The role of science and research

Thursday, Feb. 22, 11am-12:30pm

Hosts: CIFOR, ICRAF, IUFRO

This session will explore the use of available and emerging technologies as pathways to halting deforestation and increasing forest heath and extent in a sustainable fashion. While these emerging innovations have the possibility to revolutionize how forests and landscapes are monitored, it is equally important to address challenges as to how technologies are mainstreamed in society and made accessible including enabling their use in local languages.

Vincent Gitz and CIFOR principal scientist Pablo Pacheco are panelists.

FTA’s partner institutions are also involved in numerous other sessions, either as cohosts or with representatives participating in the session.

*Integrated landscape management*
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 11am-12:30pm	Hosts: CIFOR, UNEP, ICRAF, FAO

*Agroforestry and silvo-pastoral systems*
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 11am-12:30pm	Hosts: ICRAF, FAO, AGA, AGP
ICRAF Director General Tony Simons is moderating, and senior landscape ecologist Sonya Dewi is a panelist.

*Forest Management and Landscape Restoration*
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2pm-3:30pm	Hosts: IUFRO, UNEP, IUCN, FAO, CIFOR
CIFOR principal scientist Manuel Guariguata is moderating this session.

*Sustainable agriculture production approaches*
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2pm-3:30pm	Hosts: FAO, AGP, AGA, FIA
Dennis Garrity from ICRAF is speaking.

*Achieving corporate commitments and zero deforestation initiatives for agricultural commodities*
Tuesday, Feb. 20, 4pm-5:30pm	Hosts: UNDP, GEF, ICRAF, WB, UNEP