Tropentag 2026:

Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems
promoting climate-resilient futures

September 16 - 18, 2026
organised by
Universities of Kassel and Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany


Tropentag 2026 - programme

time zone UTC+2


Tuesday,
15.09.2026
Wednesday,
16.09.2026
Thursday,
17.09.2026
Friday,
18.09.2026


Time
UTC+2

preliminary programme

Tuesday, 15.09.2026

13:30-19:00 Registration of participants - location: ZHG
11:30-14:00 Lunch break - Mensa
timeslot: 14:00-18:00 Pre-conference workshops
18:30-21:30 Side event: Fifth Edition of Perspectives on Pastoralism Film Festival at TT26 Theme: Celebrating Women Pastoralists

Wednesday, 16.09.2026

8:00 onwards Registration of participants -
timeslot 08:30-11:30 Pre-conference workshops
10:00-10:30 Tea / coffee break
11:30-13:00 Lunch break - Mensa
  Plenary - Welcome to Tropentag + streaming via the Internet - link will be made available via Whova.
13:00-13:25

Opening and setting the scene- Moderation: Prof. Dr. Reimund P. Rötter, University of Göttingen

  • Prof. Dr. Bernhard Brümmer, Vice-President for Research and Sustainability, University of Göttingen
  • Prof. Dr. Eike Luedeling, ATSAF / University of Bonn, Germany
13:25-14:00

Keynote speech and discussion

  • dr. ir. Eric Smaling, Wageningen University & Research / International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), The Netherlands

14:00-14:45 Hans H. Ruthenberg Award for Graduates 2026
Dr. Andrea Fadani, Foundation fiat panis Ulm, Germany
14:45-15:15 Coffee and tea break
15:15-16:00 Hermann Eiselen Science Award
Dr. Andrea Fadani, Foundation fiat panis Ulm, Germany
16:00-16:35

Keynote speech and discussion

  • Dr. Serena Ferrari, Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement (CIRAD), Ethiopia

16:35-16:45 Mobility break
16:45-17:30 Guided poster sessions P1 (parallel poster sessions plus online sessions)
1c. Agronomy and soil fertility
1e. Agroforestry and plantation systems (esp. coffee and cocoa)
1f. Large ruminant systems and dairy
2b. Adapting agriculture to a changing climate
3a. Food and nutrition security
4a. Institutions, finance, and productivity in agricultural value chains
4b. Gender and youth
5c. Agroecology, conservation, and restoration in farming landscapes
5b. Biodiversity conservation and restoration
online 1a./1d. Online: Abiotic stress and innovation in smallholder cropping systems
online 2a. Online: Risks and impacts of climate change
online 3a. Online: Food and nutrition security
online 5a. Online: Remote sensing applications
17:45-18:30 Guided poster sessions P2 (parallel poster sessions plus online sessions)
1a. Innovation and resilience in smallholder cropping systems
1c. Agronomy and soil fertility II
1e. Agroforestry and plantation systems (esp. coffee & cocoa) II
2b. Adapting agriculture to a changing climate II
3a. Food and nutrition security II
4a. Institutions, finance, and productivity in agricultural value chains II
4b. Gender and youth II
5a. Remote sensing applications
5c. Agroecology, conservation, and restoration in farming landscapes II
online 1e./1f. Online: Livestock systems
online 2b. Online: Climate change mitigation
online 3b./3c. Online: Food systems and food quality
online 5b./5c. Online: Biodiversity conservation and agroecology
18:30-22:00
Apéro / Social gathering 19:30-20:30 Meet & Greet: discussion rounds of junior scientists with keynote speakers and stakeholders 19:00-22:00 Pastoralist film-festival part II 19:30 ATSAF e.V. members assembly in Room ZHG006 (hybrid)

Thursday, 17.09.2026

08:30-09:15 Guided poster sessions P3 (parallel poster sessions plus online sessions)
1d. Crop responses to abiotic stress in field and controlled environments
1g. Livestock forages, feeds and feeding
1h. Camelids and small ruminants
1e. Agroforestry and plantation systems (esp. coffee & cocoa) III
2a. Risks and impacts of climate change
4c. Rethinking agricultural extension through knowledge co-creation
5e. Value chain development for neglected and underutilised crops
5b. Biodiversity conservation and restoration II
6a. Digitalisation and AI
online 1b. Online: Crop health under climate variability: pests, pathogens, and agroecological solutions
online 5d. /5e. Online: Crop / tree genetics and neglected crops
online 6a. Online: Technology, data & knowledge systems
online 4c. Online: Gender, youth and agricultural extension
09:20-10:00

Keynote speech and discussion

10:00-10:30 Coffee and tea break
10:30-12:00 Parallel oral thematic sessions I
all sessions will be streamed via the whova platform
   
 
1f. Large ruminant systems and dairy + invited presentation
 
 
 
 
7b. BMFTR
12:00-13:30 Lunch break - Mensa and N.N.
13:30-15:00 Parallel oral thematic sessions II
all sessions will be streamed via the whova platform
   
 
 
 
 
 
7d. BMLEH
15:00-15:30 Coffee and tea break
15:30-17:00 Parallel oral thematic sessions III
all sessions will be streamed via the whova platform
   
 
 
 
 
 
7c. BMZ/giz
17:00-17:15 Mobility break
17:15-18:30 Guided poster sessions P4 (parallel poster sessions plus online sessions)
1b. Crop health under climate variability: pests, pathogens, and agroecological solutions
1i. Sustainable and resilient poultry production
1f. Large ruminant systems and dairy II
2c. Climate change mitigation
3b. Inclusive food systems and livelihoods
3c. Food quality
4c. Rethinking agricultural extension through knowledge co-creation II
5d. Crop / tree genetics and conservation
6b. Data-driven technologies and innovations for climate-resilient agro-ecosystems
online 1h. /1i. Online: Camelids, small ruminants and poultry
online 1c. Online: Agronomy and soil fertility
online 1e. Online: Agroforestry and plantation systems (esp. coffee & cocoa)
online 4a. Online: Institutions, finance, and productivity in agricultural value chains
online 7e. Gender equality and inclusion in food, land, and water systems by 2050: Projections and solutions
19:00-23:00 Conference dinner & party (Geography)

Friday, 18.09.2026

09:00-10:30 Parallel oral thematic sessions IV
all sessions will be streamed via the whova platform
   
 
 
 
10:30-11:00 Coffee / tea break
  Plenary session
11:00-12:15Keynote speeces - Moderator Prof. Dr. Eva Schlecht, University of Göttingen and University of Kassel
12:15-12:30Conference review dr. ir. Eric Smaling
12:30-12:40Photocompetition - best photo / best photo series (Let's Plant e.V.)
12:40-12:50Conference review by the student reporters
12:50-13:00Poster awards
13:00-13:15 Closing remarks and handing over to the University of Giessen, Germany
End of Tropentag 2026 around 13:15
ca 14:00 A few post-conference excursions will be offered, e.g. to Forum Wissen in Göttingen and the Tropical Greenhouse in Witzenhausen.
Detailed information will follow.