Tropentag 2024:

Explore opportunities... for managing natural resources and a better life for all

September 11 - 13, 2024
organised by
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Austria


General information


The annual interdisciplinary conference on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management and rural development (Tropentag) is jointly organised by the universities of Berlin, Bonn, Göttingen, Hohenheim, Kassel-Witzenhausen, ZALF e.V. (all Germany), Ghent University (Belgium), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Czech Republic), BOKU Vienna (Austria), and the Council for Tropical and Subtropical Research (ATSAF e.V.) in co-operation with the GIZ Fund International Agricultural Research (FIA).

Tropentag 2024 (TT24) will be organised as a hybrid 'green event' by University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (BOKU), Austria (Insitute and Cluster for Development Research), in cooperation with ATSAF e.V.

BOKU video

We will have an in-person conference, but all oral presentation sessions will be streamed live via our conference app. There will also be in-person poster presentation sessions and pre and post-conference workshops - these will not be streamed but will be available on our website.
The call for oral and poster abstracts will start at the end of February; nominating for pre and post-workshops will also be possible.

Preliminary overview of the TT2024 program:

  • Day 1 (Tuesday, Sept 10th) – Pre-conference Workshops
  • Day 2 (Wednesday, Sept 11th) – Pre-conference Workshops, Opening, Keynotes and Oral Sessions
  • Day 3 (Thursday, Sept 12th) – Poster Sessions and Oral Sessions
  • Day 4 (Friday, Sept 13th) – Poster Sessions, Post-conference Workshops and Excursions
The organisers will ensure that TT24 attendees can interact with the presenters, chairs- and participants. All MSc and PhD students, scientists, extension workers, decision-makers and policy-makers interested in natural resources management, agricultural research, and rural development in transition and developing countries are cordially invited to attend and actively contribute. We encourage early stage researchers (MSc and PhD students) to participate.

 

Target of the conference

The Tropentag is a development-oriented trans- and interdisciplinary. Following the long tradition, we want to encourage participants of TT24 to explore the conference's overarching aim of exploring opportunities for managing natural resources sustainably and improving the quality of life for all individuals and communities.
TT24 addresses broad issues of transformation in agriculture and agroecology, livestock, food sovereignty, forestry, water and environment, socio-ecology, gender equality, and related social sciences in the context of rural development, sustainable natural resources management, and poverty alleviation worldwide.

 

The Tropentag 2024 conference theme

Explore opportunities... for managing natural resources and a better life for all

Tropentag is a trans- and interdisciplinary conference. Following the long tradition of Tropentag, we encourage participants of Tropentag 2024 to contribute to the conference's overarching aim of exploring opportunities for managing natural resources sustainably and improving the quality of life for all individuals and communities.

Tropentag 2024 addresses issues such as the urgently needed transformation in agriculture and food systems, agroecology, livestock management, food and nutrition sovereignty, forestry, sustainable water resources and fisheries, environmental conservation, socio-ecology, structural inequalities in the governance of natural resources based on gender, age, socio-economic status and other social categories, in the context of rural development, sustainable natural resources management, and poverty alleviation worldwide.

The following topics collectively contribute to the conference's overarching aim of exploring opportunities to manage natural resources sustainably and improve the quality of life for all individuals and communities.

  1. Agroecology and sustainable resource management practices: This includes discussions on sustainable agriculture practices, such as crop management, soil conservation, organic agricultural production, agroecology and agroforestry systems, aiming to optimize natural resource management while preserving the environment.
  2. Livestock management and human well-being: Addressing sustainable and resilient animal production systems, promoting animal welfare, healthy animals as high-quality food resources, and enhancing human well-being through sustainable livestock management practices. Discussions link to the current discourse regarding economic viability and environmental aspects of animal production systems, increasing consumer demands for improved animal well-being, and calls for alternative non-animal protein sources.
  3. Food and nutrition sovereignty: This session aims to bring together different perspectives contributing to a sustainable and just transformation of our food system. This involves addressing the underlying structural and socio-political issues related to malnutrition and advocating for sustainable diets. An emphasis is on democratic control over the production, distribution and consumption of food and the rights of peoples and communities to determine their own food and farming systems. This includes discussions on how to improve access to land and access to culturally appropriate, nutritious and affordable food, and the important intersection between food and health, identifying and assessing transformative solutions.
  4. Sustainable water and fisheries management: Exploring innovative strategies and solutions to ensure the long-term viability of water resources and fisheries worldwide. Through interdisciplinary research and collaborative efforts, this session delves into the complex challenges facing sanitation, water ecosystems and fish populations, addressing overfishing, habitat degradation, pollution, and climate change impacts and offering insights into sustainable management practices, community engagement, policy frameworks, and technological advancements to promote the resilience and health of aquatic environments and fisheries.
  5. Climate change adaptation and resilience: Sessions addressing adaptation to climate change in the context of agriculture and food systems, including pastoralism, natural resources management, and rural livelihoods. A critical perspective is laid on the potential threats of climate adaptation strategies for diverse rural livelihoods, in light of increased privatization, land grabbing and the rush for carbon and biodiversity credits. Sessions further focus on resilience strategies in agriculture, food systems and natural resource governance, including innovative approaches to mitigate environmental risks and enhance resilience of local populations.
  6. Forestry, environmental conservation and ecosystem services: Exploring the intersection of agriculture and environmental conservation, including plant protection, agroforestry systems sustainability, and the importance of trees for environmental health and ecosystem services provision. This encompasses sessions on plant protection, trees for people and the environment, and understanding and managing soil-vegetation interactions, all of which contribute to environmental conservation and the provision of ecosystem services. This includes critical reflections on the benefits, trade-offs and potential threats of environmental conservation for rural livelihoods.
  7. Gender and intersectional perspectives in the governance of natural resources: Critically explore how gender and other social dynamics intersect with and impact the governance of natural resources. Highlight the importance of inclusive approaches and practices, acknowledging diverse perspectives. Emphasize the importance and value of local knowledge systems, knowledge co-creation, co-learning, and actor-based initiatives in achieving more just and inclusive governance of natural resources and food systems.
  8. Multiple crises: political, institutional and economic structures and challenges: Adopting a political ecology lens to explore the impact of multiple crises on our food and agriculture systems and natural resources, such as the climate crisis, violent conflicts and resulting economic crises. This includes reflections on the economic potential and profitability of agriculture and rural livelihoods, as well as collective action from grassroots organisations in shaping our future food and agricultural systems, and the role of policies and institutions amidst societal transformations.
  9. Social and technological innovations for implementing the SDGs: Sessions focusing on technology adoption and dissemination, social innovations, and farmer perspectives in cropping and animal systems will highlight the role of technical and social innovations in agricultural practices and farmer-driven processes that contribute to sustainable resource management and securing livelihoods.

Keynote speakers

...will be announced soon.

 

fiat panis award session

On the occasion of this conference a special session will be devoted to the presentation of the "Hans H. Ruthenberg-Graduate-Award" and the " Hermann Eiselen-Science Award 2023" by the fiat panis foundation, Ulm.

 

Oral and poster presentations

The oral presentations of the Tropentag 2024 will be organised in four sessions, probably six parallel thematic groups. Posters will be presented in parallel guided poster sessions (in-person and online sessions). The exact time frame of these sessions will be communicated after selection of the submitted abstracts.

 

Pre- and post-conference workshops

Organise your own Workshop

We offer you the opportunity to organise your own workshop, tailored to your target audience. The idea is that you either network around a specific topic or offer capacity building and task forces for projects and follow your initiative. The only condition is that your topic should be related to tropical agriculture in a broader sense. The workshops will take place on Tuesday September 10, 2024 from 13:00 to 18:00 h, Wednesday September 11, from 08:30 to 11:30 h. or Friday September 13 from 15:00 to 18:00 h.

If you are interested you need to apply and describe the aim and topic of the workshop using the following template. Fill in the template and send it to info@tropentag.de no later than 20 May, 2024.

You will receive your application feedback by June 20th. In case of approval, details such as room allocation, further logistics and potential additional services will be discussed individually with the Tropentag secretariat.

The complete workshop plan with contact addresses will be made available on our website.

 

Conference fee

Especially for a hybrid Tropentag conference, registration fees are required to pay for software and the organisation of the sessions. For those attending in-person, the fee includes a conference bag, and refreshments during the conference breaks. The fee does not include accommodation, lunches or the conference dinner. In-person participants can purchase the book of abstracts for ten euros only. The conference fee and payment conditions can be found here soon.

 

Organising committee of the Tropentag 2024 conference

Lead local organisation team:
  • PD DI Dr. Andreas Melcher
    IDR/CDR Institute and Cluster for Development Research, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
  • Ass.Prof. Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Stefan Strohmeier
    Institute of Soil Physics and Rural Water Management, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
Austria local organisation office:
  • Andreas Bauer and Julia Männle
    IDR Institute for Development Research, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, BOKU University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna; Dänenstrasse 4-1, 1190 Vienna, Austria
    Contact: Send Email
Tropentag secretariat:
  • dr. ir. Eric Tielkes
    DITSL Witzenhausen, Germany
  • Contact: info@tropentag.de