Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 13:00 – 18:00 h (CEST)
Closed / internal workshop
Location: Room 56
Organisers:
Matthias Finckh; Thünen Institut für Marktanalyse
Dr. Florian Freund; Thünen Institut für Marktanalyse
Marina Bigerna, OroVerde
Contact: Matthias Finckh; matthias.finckh@thuenen.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:00 – 16:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 1051
Description:
Coffee and cocoa are key commodities in the tropics that are produced predominantly by smallholders. The production is often connected with negative effects on biodiversity and socioeconomic challenges. There are increased international efforts and market demands to reduce poverty among producers and preserve biodiversity. Nevertheless, consensus on what is “biodiversity friendly” and the economic viability of such production systems is missing.
The workshop will discuss the possibility of biodiversity friendly production of coffee and cocoa, its impacts on smallholder livelihood as well as synergies, trade-offs and potential solutions.
The workshop session will be structured in 3 parts:
Part 1: Initial impulse presentations
- Biodiversity in coffee and cocoa production (Hugo Reyes Aldan)
- Socioeconomic impacts of biodiversity friendly coffee and cocoa production (Matthias Finckh)
- Role of markets, consumers and financial institutions (TBD)
Part 2: World Café with 4-5 working stations focusing on:
- Synergies (biodiversity & smallholder livelihood)
- Tradeoffs (biodiversity & smallholder livelihood)
- How can we include markets, consumers and financial institutions?
- Ideas for production systems – technical approaches and possible solutions
- What are possible key indicators to measure biodiversity and smallholder livelihood?
Part 3: Wrap up and presentation of the main results
Main purpose of the workshop:
The purpose of this workshop is knowledge exchange and creation based on a world café methodology. Additionally, there is the potential to find synergies between research topics and connect likeminded people.
Organiser:
Dr. Amit Kumar Srivastava
Leibniz-Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) e.V.
Research Area 4 “Simulation Data & Science”
Working group: Multi-Scale Modelling & Forecasting
Contact: AmitKumar.Srivastava@zalf.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 2045
Description:
Crop modelling approaches that integrate process-based crop models (PBM) with data-driven machine
learning have shown significant improvements in yield predictions. Previous work with hybrid models over
standalone crop models has reduced uncertainty estimates by 10–20%, which enables targeted policy
solutions.
High-Resolution Hybrid (PBM + AI) Crop Yield Forecasting
This module presents a high-resolution crop yield forecasting framework that integrates Earth Observation
data with PBM outputs. It includes methods for generating pixel-scale yield labels using NPP time series and
national yield statistics. The session covers feature engineering, advanced AI models, and model
interpretability through causal inference and ablation studies. Participants will gain both theoretical
knowledge and practical skills for real-world agricultural forecasting.
Fine-Scale Climate Data Workflows
Climate change is projected to reduce crop yields across most of West Africa, with some areas potentially
showing gains, though with high uncertainty. The work involves hands-on experience with workflows for
preprocessing gridded climate datasets from CMIP, reanalysis, and observations. Tasks include quality
control, handling missing values, bias correction, and super-resolution downscaling to estimate climate
change uncertainty. Agroclimatic extremes (e.g., heatwaves, droughts), along with high-resolution yield,
phenology, and remote sensing data, will support detection of low- and high-yield zones
Prerequisites:
Participants should have laptops with preloaded datasets, software modules and installed dependencies
(links and resources will be provided before the workshop).
Basic understanding of python
Main purpose of the workshop:
To engage with participants on cutting-edge tools and methods for high-resolution crop yield forecasting
and fine-scale climate impact assessment. The workshop will combine process-based modeling, AI
techniques, and advanced climate data workflows for resilient agricultural planning with demonstrated
applications over Africa.
Organisers:
Melvin Lippe, Prince Asare, Juliana Freitas Beyer, Simon Thomsen
Johann Heinrich von Thünen Institute, Institute of Forestry (WF)
Contact: melvin.lippe@thuenen.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 15:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 2046
Description:
As we navigate the complexities of the Anthropocene, where human activities have become the dominant force shaping the Earth's surface, there is a growing need for robust, scalable, transparent and (big) data-driven analytical frameworks to understand and manage land system dynamics.
The workshop will feature 3 elevator pitches:
spatiotemporal land system modelling in a co-design scenario setting;geospatial multi-criteria analysis and stakeholder-elucidations as part of a spatial-decision support system (SDSS);
using Google Earth Engine beyond coding to inform sustainable land governance), together with a world café session to discuss with participants how to make use of CoLSA to bridge the gap between scientific knowledge and actionable decision-making.
We focus on cutting-edge computational methods—ranging from machine learning and spatial statistics to spatiotemporal land and socio-ecological systems modelling —that leverage growing volumes of earth observation data, land use records, and social datasets. These tools are transforming the way we analyse land change processes, evaluate policy scenarios, and support adaptive land management strategies.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Fostering an interdisciplinary exchange on:
how to make use of CoLSA toolboxes to bridge the gap between scientific insight and actionable decision-making, and
how to improve university curricula to better reflect on the combination of bottom-up processes (e.g., participatory approaches, co-design workshops, Citizen Sciences) with cutting-edge computational methods such as spatiotemporal land system modelling and Google Earth Engine applications.
Outcomes of the world café serve as input to a peer-review manuscript inviting interested workshop participants to the co-author team.
By fostering an interdisciplinary exchange, we aim to accelerate the development of computational tools that are not only technically sound but also socially relevant and ethically grounded.
Organiser:
Cecilia Maina
Project: Agrifood Systems-Transformative Research and Policy Guidance
Centre for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn
Contact: cmaina@uni-bonn.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:00 – 16:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 2047
Description:
The workshop will begin with presentations and a panel discussion featuring researchers and practitioners sharing key findings and policy implications, followed by an open Q&A session to encourage dialogue with the audience. Participants will then break out into small groups based on thematic or country-specific interests to discuss insights, share experiences, and provide input on practical strategies. As a key takeaway, participants will actively engage with current evidence and contribute to shaping context-relevant, nutrition-sensitive agricultural and policy recommendations.
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop will examine malnutrition trends and their determinants with specific examples from three sub-Saharan African countries: Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia. The discussion is set against the backdrop of recent global shocks, economic instability, and shifting food systems. The causes of malnutrition are diverse, ranging from macro- to micro-level factors, including food system transformations, extreme weather events, urbanization, and population growth. These pressures have increased the strain on land and natural resources, contributing to the stagnation or even reversal of improvements in malnutrition trends.
We will share findings documenting trends in chronic undernutrition in children under five (stunting) in the context of recent global challenges. These findings identify both progress and stagnation, drawing lessons from countries that have sustained progress despite global shocks. We will also present evidence-based reference points for understanding current progress and planning achievable goals for reducing chronic undernutrition. Additionally, we will share findings that identify key nutrition determinants in Kenya, Malawi, and Zambia. By analyzing diet trends among children, adolescent girls, and adults, and linking them to national socio-economic and agricultural changes. These insights will contribute to a broader discussion on how land system changes such as agricultural intensification, transformation, and expansion can support healthy diets and nutrition while preserving ecosystem services, water resources, and soil fertility.
This workshop will bring together voices from academia, policy, and international development to discuss findings and propose policy recommendations. It links food and land systems to health outcomes by offering evidence-based suggestions for nutrition-sensitive agriculture and inclusive policy design. Outputs from this workshop will include refined and updated policy recommendations, a comprehensive workshop report, knowledge exchange among participants from diverse professional backgrounds, and the development of new collaborations.
Organiser: Karin Gaesing (and eventually Carolin Rosenberg)
Institute for Development and Peace (INEF), University of Duisburg-Essen
Contact: Karin.gaesing@uni-due.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:00 – 16:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 2050
Description:
At the beginning, a brief input with few examples of challenges for women to pursue scientific careers in agricultural or agriculture related research and / or to take up leadership positions in enterprises, groups and cooperatives related to agriculture and processing agricultural products will be provided. Participants will be also invited to provide their examples.
In a second step, enabling factors and solutions will be presented an discussed.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To exchange experiences and develop solutions to create a favourable environment for women to pursue scientific careers and / or take leadership positions in enterprises, cooperatives, organised working groups.
Organisers:
- An Alliance for the Climate – Dialogue on climate and agriculture between New Zealand and Germany (AgriDENZ): Nina Grassnick (Thünen-Institute, nina.grassnick@thuenen.de), Craig Chibanda (Thünen-Institute, craig.chibanda@thuenen.de), Ackim Mwape (NZAGRC, Ackim.Mwape@nzagrc.org.nz)
- African German Centre for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Food Data Science (UKUDLA): Marcus Giese (University Hohenheim, m.giese@uni-hohenheim.de)
- Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture (DAUA): Dagmar Wittine (IAK Leipzig, d.wittine@iakleipzig.de), Ignacio Sommer (IAK Leipzig, i.sommer@iakleipzig.de)
Contact: nina.grassnick@thuenen.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 13:30 – 15:30 h (CEST)
In person
Location: Room 2052
Description:
The fight against hunger is a top priority of the German Government. The Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) actively supports the realisation of the human right to adequate food through international cooperation projects. These initiatives aim to advance climate protection, fairness and sustainability in agricultural systems worldwide.
This workshop explores lessons learnt and opportunities from BMLEH-supported international cooperation initiatives in the field of sustainable and climate resilient agricultural systems as well as other initiatives from workshop participants. It starts with four short presentations, followed by an interactive session with guiding questions.
Overview of presentations:
- AgriDENZ, a collaborative initiative between Germany and New Zealand, focuses on intensifying experience-sharing and joint research to advance low-emission and climate-resilient agricultural production systems globally.
- The Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture (DAUA) strengthens bilateral and regional knowledge exchange, with a particular focus on soil microbiomes and agroecological production systems to enhance sustainability and climate resilience in agricultural practices.
- The African-German Centre of Excellence for Sustainable and Resilient Food Systems and Applied Agricultural and Nutritional Data Science (UKUDLA) works to develop data-driven and digital solutions aimed at improving the sustainability and resilience of food systems under stress or extreme conditions in Southern Africa.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop aims to showcase and discuss key lessons learned and emerging opportunities from international cooperation projects supported by BMLEH and other funding agencies in South America, Europe, and Africa. The organisers aim to specifically invite speakers/participants from South America and Africa to share their experiences on collaboration initiatives.
Specifically, it seeks to:
- Share practical insights from BMLEH initiatives (in general and specifically from DAUA, UKUDLA, AgriDENZ) that address sustainability, climate resilience, and the transformation of agricultural systems.
- Provide information on potential collaboration opportunities with DAUA, UKUDLA and AgriDENZ
- Identify best practices, challenges, and opportunities with workshop participants to further advance global efforts toward strengthening sustainable, agroecological, low-emission, and resilient agriculture and food systems.
- Foster dialogue among participants on how to enhance knowledge exchange, digital innovation, and joint action for sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural development across diverse regions.
- Develop a short summary report to be published at the project’s websites and discuss follow-up activities/collaboration opportunities with workshop participants
Organisers:
Dr. Stefan Liehr, Institut für sozial-ökologische Forschung (ISOE), stefan.liehr@isoe.de
Lisa-Maricia Schwarz, University of Potsdam, University of Bonn, lisa-maricia.schwarz@uni-potsdam.de
Thomas Bringhenti, University of Potsdam, thomas.bringhenti@uni-potsdam.de
Contact: thomas.bringhenti@uni-potsdam.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 3055
Description:
Tipping points in social-ecological systems mark critical thresholds where small changes can lead to abrupt and potentially irreversible shifts. In land management, understanding these dynamics is vital for anticipating system collapse, fostering resilience, and taking decisions.
This workshop is organized by members of the NamTip project, which focuses on Desertification Tipping Points in the face of climate change. During this three-hour session, we aim to bring together researchers working across diverse landscapes—rangelands, forests, agricultural systems, and more—to explore the drivers, early-warning indicators, and consequences of tipping points.
The workshop will begin with a short panel introduction outlining key concepts and challenges in tipping point research. We will then feature invited presentations (15 minutes each) that showcase empirical and theoretical insights into tipping dynamics in social-ecological contexts. Following each talk, we will facilitate a moderated discussion to encourage interdisciplinary exchange and critical reflection.
The final part of the workshop will be dedicated to a broader discussion on current challenges and methodological frontiers in tipping point research. Topics include data limitations, uncertainty, and the integration of social dimensions.
We welcome participants from all disciplines who are interested in tipping points, regime shifts, and resilience on all types of land-use systems.
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop aims to advance the understanding of tipping points in social-ecological systems by fostering dialogue across disciplines and land-use contexts. Through short presentations and group discussion, we will explore drivers, indicators, and consequences of critical transitions, and reflect on methodological and conceptual challenges in tipping point research.
Organisers:
Dr. Franziska Wolf
Dr. Marina Kovaleva
Research and Transfer Centre "Sustainable Development and Climate Change Management", Hamburg University of Applied Sciences.
Contact: Marina.Kovaleva@haw-hamburg.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 14:30 – 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: HS 4
Description:
In the last decades, agricultural sector and as an outcome food security have been under significant stress due to changing climate conditions followed by population growth and decreasing productivity. These trends in combination with socio-economic and political factors amplify threats to sustainable livelihood and well-being of the population in African countries. The continent is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, making it essential to develop strategies that are sustainable and context-specific. The primary objective of this session is to explore opportunities and challenges on the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices and climate adaptation strategies. It will serve as a critical platform to address the interconnected challenges in terms of climate variability, agricultural production and various adaptation practices. The event will also provide an avenue for discussion of new ideas to enhance understanding of the potential capacity of agriculture-related adaptation solutions to face future crises, together with meeting the challenge of maintaining the global and regional agriculture and food production. Finally, it will also serve the purpose of fostering networking, critical reflection and collaborative efforts among the participants, leading to further mobilisation of resources for further initiatives.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop will consist of a series of presentations by keynote speakers, followed by a panel discussion.
The workshop will focus on such topics as
- challenges for climate resilient agriculture
- best practices in sustainable agricultural land use practices and management
- utilising technology and AI for agricultural adaptation practices
- agroforestry for improved food systems
- lessons learned from successful collaborative projects
- role of women farmers in promoting smart agriculture solutions
- renewables in agricultural activities: barriers and benefits
Organisers:
Prof. Dr. Michael Frei
Institute of Agronomy and Crop Physiology
Justus Liebig University
Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah
Hertz-Chair Innovation for Planetary Health and Center for Development Research (ZEF)
University of Bonn
Contact: michael.frei@agrar.uni-giessen.de / ina.danquah@uni-bonn.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 15:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: HS 6
Description:
Many sub-Saharan African countries face a triple burden of malnutrition, which includes (i) a lack of protein and energy resulting in undernutrition, (ii) micronutrient deficiencies, also known as 'hidden hunger,' and (iii) obesity-related non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. In sub-Saharan Africa, malnutrition often is caused by one-sided diets that rely heavily on just a few staple crops. We therefore argue that malnutrition can be addressed by diversifying food systems. This requires, first and foremost, the establishment of metrics and indicators to characterize people's dietary diversity. Furthermore, agricultural production systems need to be developed to produce diverse and healthy food products based on locally available crop biodiversity. The next step involves stimulating food value chains for healthy foods and products and analysing and supporting consumer awareness and acceptance of these healthy foods. Such a holistic approach may ultimately lead to more diverse and healthier nutrition, while stimulating local value chains and generating ecological benefits.
Main purpose of the workshop:
In this workshop, we will bring together experts from various disciplines representing different levels of the food chain, including nutritional epidemiology, crop sciences, agricultural economics, and food and nutritional sciences. The goal is to explore and discuss opportunities for dietary diversification across the African continent, and the possibilities for operationalizing diversification of the food chain. The event will be guided by representatives from the EU-funded projects HealthyDiets4Africa, Changemaker, and ARISE-NUTRINT which share the common goal of promoting healthy nutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. The workshop will include presentations, discussions, and interactive group work to elaborate on opportunities and prospects for dietary diversification in Africa.
Organiser:
Michael Brüntrup
Let’s Plant e.V
Contact: Michael.bruentrup@idos-research.de
Date: Tuesday, 09/09/2025, 15:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: HS 3
Description:
For research to have an impact in the real world, it often takes more than its publication in scientific journals. Pictures can be powerful tools to make research more accessible, to attract attention, to illustrate the context of research and researchers. "A picture is worth a thousand words" is especially true for making complex issues attractive to the public or as illustrations in scientific articles. This is especially true for subjects and motifs such as tropical agriculture and sustainable landscapes, the leitmotif of Tropentag.
This workshop aims to help better represent the typical subjects of research on agriculture and landscape approaches in the tropics in pictures. We want to discuss basic principles of good photos and apply them to our particular subjects. There will be a theoretical introduction on technical and creative principles, followed by joint discussions of concrete photo examples of individual pictures and picture stories from the 5 years of the Tropentag Photocontest.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Aim is that participants are encouraged and guided to take better photos of their research projects for attracting attention to their topics in presentations, publications and other formats.
Wednesday workshops
Organisers:
Philip Schierning, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences
Katie Meinhold, Weihenstephan-Triesdorf University of Applied Sciences
Jannike van Bruggen, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences
Lilian Beck, University of Hohenheim and CIFOR-ICRAF
Contact: Philip.schierning@hsrw.eu
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 2052
Description:
This workshop explores innovative methods to assess and manage agroforestry systems across multiple scales, from individual fields to entire landscapes. It addresses two key points:
- Tools for Assessing Agroforestry: We will introduce a range of (research) tools, including remote sensing, GIS, ground surveys, mapping, and field sampling techniques. We will discuss these approaches, emphasizing their strengths, limitations, and suitability for stakeholders such as farmers, researchers, policymakers, and NGOs. Presentations will highlight how combining different tools can effectively capture the socio-economic, ecological, and spatial dimensions of agroforestry systems.
- Managing Agroforestry Across Scales: Here, we focus on strategies for scaling agroforestry practices from farm to landscape levels, how to link individual farming systems to a strategy to manage a landscape. We will explore how assessment tools can contribute to a framework for multi-scale monitoring and landscape management. We will discuss the complexity of agroforestry systems, including ecological, environmental, and socio-economic factors influencing sustainable land management, with an emphasis on linking farm-level practices to landscape-scale planning.
The workshop includes presentations by experts and practitioners from the EcoSiPas and SUFACHAIN projects, followed by interactive sessions where participants collaboratively develop a framework for multi-scale agroforestry monitoring.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop aims to facilitate the exchange of experiences and insights on tools for monitoring and managing agroforestry systems, with a strong emphasis on linking multiple (spatial) scales. By bringing together participants from academia and practice, it creates a platform for discussing practical approaches. The workshop fosters dialogue on integrated assessment approaches—ecological, environmental, and socio-economic—to reinforce the role of agroforestry in sustainable landscape management and climate adaptation.
Organiser: Michael Brüntrup, German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS)
Contact: michael.bruentrup@idos-research.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:00 – 12:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: LH 1.1
Description:
Many researchers and research projects aim to influence policy processes through their findings. However, within research organisations, a clear understanding of how policy making functions, which policy domains and levels to target, and how to effectively engage policy makers remains limited. These competencies are rarely part of formal training, and relevant knowledge is often tacit, experiential, and not easily accessible. Navigating science-policy interfaces is as much an art as it is a practice grounded in evidence.
This workshop seeks to explore the dynamics of science-policy interaction and equip researchers with practical insights to enhance the visibility and influence of their work. It will draw on lessons learned from projects within the BMBF-supported consortium of partners in the “sustainable land management in Sub-Saharan Africa” programme, and from IDOS as a major German think tank. Additionally selected policy makers from Germany (BMZ, BMBF) and an African partner countries will be invited to share their perspectives experiences and insights. The workshop aims to identify effective pathways for bridging research and policy in the context of sustainable development. It is a logical continuation of workshops during the last two Tropentag conferences, which dealt with participatory approaches in agricultural research and with agricultural knowledge management.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Participants have a clearer picture of the processes of policy making, of windows of opportunities and of instruments to influence it. It continuous to build the competencies of the participants to improve the impact of agricultural research in developing countries.
Organisers:
Cargele Masso, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), CGIAR
Thomas Falk, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), CGIAR
Simone Staiger Rivas, Alliance Bioversity and CIAT, CGIAR
Fiona Flintan, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), CGIAR
Lulseged Desta, Alliance Bioversity and CIAT, CGIAR
Jorn Schmidt, WorldFish, CGIAR
Marina Brunale, Global Landscapes Forum (GLF)
Adinda Hasan, Global Landscapes Forum (GLF)
Mark Shauer, The Economics of Land Degradation Initiative, GIZ
Bjoern Vollan, University of Marburg
Tobias Vorlaufer, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF)
Juan Felipe Ortiz-Riomalo, University of Osnabrueck (online)
Contact: Cargele Masso C.Masso@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:00– 12:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 56
Description:
This workshop brings together stakeholders involved in shaping land use planning and governance in tropical regions. It aims to foster knowledge exchange and collaboratively identify knowledge gaps and intervention hotspots that can help reconcile land system changes with planetary health and people needs.
The workshop will emphasize the importance of locally adapted, nature-positive solutions and agroecological approaches that enhance landscape multifunctionality, resilience, adaptability, and health. Participants will explore a range of technical and social innovations—including inclusive land use planning, participatory approaches to research, action and policy, coherent policy frameworks, innovative business models, and mechanisms for social inclusion that consider gender, youth, and marginalized groups. Attention will be given to performance assessments of these interventions to support adaptive management of tropical landscapes.
The workshop run-of-show will include a combination of a World Café and Fishbowl, starting with the World Café and concluding with the Fishbowl, to maximize the participation and contribution of participants
Main purpose of the workshop:
- The overall goal is to share experiences in co-developing context-specific, and inclusive land use strategies that enhance socio-ecological resilience, adaptability and multifunctionality in tropical landscapes through integrated bundles of biophysical and social innovations.
- Specifically, the workshop will pave the way to strengthened collaboration by defining the preliminary plan of action and a fleshed outline of a joint white paper on the multifunctionality, resilience, adaptability and health of tropical landscapes through socio-ecological gains – and suitable interventions to sustain these.
- Produce a published output condensing conceptual thinking and practical experiences on (approaches to foster/structure) multi-functional landscapes.
Organisers:
Marie-Luise Matthys, University of St. Gallen
Contact: marie-luise.matthys@unisg.ch
The time will be scheduled in coordination with the participants
In-person workshop
Location: to be identified
Description:
Agricultural research is often designed for the perceived benefit of people – but not with people. Research tends to be focused on technical solutions, mostly solutions other people believe are best for farmers and livestock keepers. Unfortunately, many of the proposed solutions are rather detached from the social world of the people affected. This results in various problems, including (1) the reproduction of (neo-)colonial structures, (2) untapped potential of agricultural research which could be much more effective if farmers were involved, and (3) high investment in technologies scaled too early and bypassing the potential of targeted land users. Co-design with farmers and livestock keepers can increase research impact and contribute to more equitable relationships. Despite its advantages, co-design is not easily implemented, not least due to limited fieldwork time and funding schemes that require researchers to determine a precise research agenda at project design stage.
Given those and other factors, how can we effectively work in a participatory way? This is an invitation to meet and exchange on experiences, share best practices and challenges, and collect ideas on how to make agricultural research more and more user-centered in the future.
This exchange opportunity will take place in an informal space – over lunch, dinner or a cup of tea/coffee. We will set the date in coordination with the participants, so please send a registration email to marie-luise.matthys (at) unisg.ch by 13 August, indicating “Co-creation exchange” in the subject line. When registering, please answer the following questions:
- What makes this exchange interesting for you? Do you have a specific concern?
- What experience do you have with participatory methods? (max. 5 sentences)
- In what time frame will you be available in person at Tropentag? What would your preferred slot be?
Main purpose of the workshop:
Facilitate exchange on different co-design approaches in agricultural research.
Organisers:
BMLEH / Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity:
Referat 123 - Allgemeine und grundsätzliche Angelegenheiten der Forschung, Koordinierung des Forschungsbereichs und
Referat 624 - Recht auf Nahrung
BLE / Federal Office for Agriculture and Food: Referat 334
Contact: Julia.Klemme@ble.de ; Ariana.Bystry@ble.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 2045
Description:
Particularly in the current times of multiple crises, the transformation of agricultural and food systems is more important than ever to make the human right to adequate food a reality. The UN-Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is the central platform for developing rights-based strategies to combat hunger and malnutrition and to support vulnerable groups. Using a multi-stakeholder, inclusive approach, the CFS develops and endorses policy recommendations and guidance on a wide range of food security and nutrition topics. They address primarily governments at all levels and provide actionable strategies to create lasting change. The German Federal Government has, through the BMLEH, provided crucial political and financial support for the development of these guidelines and takes action to promote their implementation.
This workshop will advocate for aligning research activities also with the efforts of the CFS to provide rights-based guidance for improving global food security. Based on an input on the processes of the CFS and its policy products and recommendations as well as examples of projects, the focus will be on how research and the CFS voluntary guidelines and policy recommendations can be brought closer together. Activities of the High Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE), the science-policy interface of the UN Committee on World Food Security (CFS), further be introduced. In an interactive format, the audience will be able to discuss, ask questions and contribute their views.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The main purpose is to share experiences on how to improve the interfaces between research and policy and to elaborate ways in which research can support the implementation of the CFS policy products. The goal is to identify barriers and information gaps on CFS processes and products for research projects to be able to create the desired synergies between research and the CFS products and to jointly elaborate on pathways to better facilitate project design and implementation in that sense.
Organisers:
Sanjana Rajasekar, PhD researcher, Center for Development Research (ZEF) at University of Bonn, Germany
Carla Baldivieso, PhD researcher, SusLAND-ZALF// Humboldt University of Berlin//Comunidad de Estudios JAINA, Bolivia
Subash Surendran Padmaja, PhD researcher, Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany, Scientist, ICAR-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi, India.
Contact: decolonising.agr.research@gmail.com
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:00 – 11:30 h
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 2046
Description:
This workshop aims to encourage critical reflection regarding research positionalities in creating knowledge in agricultural research. It prompts us to reflect on the methodologies and practices we engage in for our research. Furthermore, it encourages consideration of the role of individual positionality and institutional structures in shaping our knowledge—and the knowledge of whom?
The workshop arises from the intention to rethink the institutional structures under which our research is conducted and how it reproduces or does not reproduce the coloniality of knowledge. Therefore, to rethink coloniality, ethics, and power structures, we want to situate our thinking and actions as researchers in agriculture.
First, we will start with a round of introductions to understand participant expectations, followed by outlining the goals of our workshop (15 minutes).
Second, we will focus on interrogating dominant research paradigms and reflecting on possibilities of using or creating alternative ones (60 minutes). We will begin with a definition of decolonization in knowledge and practice, exploring how institutional structures impact our research and practice. We will delve into the methodologies and epistemological positions that influence decisions on research questions and methodologies, emphasising participatory action research and indigenous research methodologies relevant to agriculture. To ground our discussions, we will collectively analyse diverse case studies from various disciplines within agricultural research. Thus, we will examine diverse approaches from various agricultural disciplines, fostering a comprehensive understanding of how to rethink coloniality, ethics, and power structures in our respective fields.
Finally, we will conclude (15 minutes) with reflections on our research practices and final remarks, aiming to reflect on a shift towards more decolonized research methodologies
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop is designed to prompt reflection on the methodologies and practices we engage in for our research, encouraging consideration of how individual positionality and institutional structures shape our knowledge.
Organisers:
Dr. Lina Tennhardt (FiBL Switzerland)
Dr. Rainer Weisshaidinger (Agroecology.AT)
Johan Blockeel (FiBL Switzerland)
Contact: rainer.weisshaidinger@agroecology.at
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 2047
Description:
The sustainability of tropical agricultural systems plays a critical role in safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystems, supporting livelihoods, and ensuring food security for growing populations. This workshop is designed to comprehensively explore sustainability in tropical agriculture, including environmental, economic, and social considerations. We will do this by presenting and comparing cutting-edge sustainability assessment tools, such as the SMART-Farm Tool and TAPE and showcasing the complexities, challenges, and successes encountered in real-world sustainability assessment case studies. The workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary dialogue among researchers, practitioners, and policy makers to improve the sustainability of farming through effective analysis methods.
Main purpose of the workshop:
- Discuss the complexities of sustainability in tropical agriculture.
- Review sustainability assessment tools using ecological, social, and economic indicators.
- Showcase goals, benefits, and challenges of real-world farm sustainability assessments in tropical settings.
Organisers:
Ricardo Vargas Carpintero1, David Puerta2, Diego López2, Leonardo Pimentel3, Sergio Y. Motoike3, Evellyn Couto3, Naomi Kuki3, Lucilene Oliveira3, Carlos Colombo4, Brenda Diaz4, Maria Zucchi4, Sergio Toledo5, Peter Eisner5, Nuttapon Khogdee6, Thomas Hilger7
1. University of Hohenheim, Dept. of Biobased Resources in the Bioeconomy, Stuttgart, Germany
2. University of Hohenheim, Hohenheim Research Center for Global Food Security and Ecosystems (GFE), Stuttgart, Germany
3. Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Dept. of Agronomy, Viçosa, Brazil
4. Agronomic Institute of Campinas (IAC), Genetic Resources Center, Campinas, Brazil
5. Fraunhofer Institute for Process Engineering and Packaging (IVV), Freising, Germany
6. Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
7. University of Hohenheim, Inst. of Agric. Sci. in the Tropics, Acrocomia Hub, Stuttgart, Germany
Contact: thomas.hilger@uni-hohenheim.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: Room 2050
Description:
Since the dawn of mankind, people have been exploring the cornucopia of the plant kingdom to obtain food, feed, fiber, and fuel. Modern agriculture, however, has widely neglected this potential and led to agricultural systems that rely on few, input-intensive crops. Biodiversity offers possibilities at a local and global level for crop diversification in agricultural systems and the bioeconomy. Macauba (Acrocomia aculeata), a neotropical palm for example, has a huge potential as a multipurpose crop. AcroAlliance, a joint Brazilian-German research cooperation, has been working at promoting a value chain and web approach from the seed to high value refined oils, proteins and dietary fibers from macaúba fruits.
This workshop provides an overview of the macaúba palm and research for value chain and web development. We aim to engage the audience in a dialogue using the “world café” format for an in-depth discussion among workshop participants. The workshop follows an interdisciplinary approach at the nexus between plant breeding, agronomy for climate change resilience and sustainability, processing, products and markets.
The workshop aims to provide a blueprint of how biodiversity can serve crop diversity, so that participants can gain knowledge and an interdisciplinary perspective about novel crops value chains, challenges and opportunities.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Inform, discuss and jointly identify challenges and opportunities for crop diversity in agricultural systems and the bioeconomy from an interdisciplinary perspective – from breeding to the production of bio-based products and ecosystem services, – emphasizing the sustainable use of local biodiversity.
Organiser:
Dr Frank Rasche
International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)
Nairobi, Kenya
Contact: f.rasche@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 3055
Description:
Soil health is central to achieving sustainable agriculture across Africa. As countries move to implement the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, there is a growing need to ensure that soil health interventions are not only technically sound but also inclusive, and strategically grounded. This interactive workshop invites participants to explore how soil health goals outlined in the action plan can be advanced through inclusive strategies and transformative implementation.
The workshop will kick off with a compelling keynote address that sets the stage by framing soil health as a global priority for agriculture, highlighting the urgency of inclusive approaches in scaling soil health action plans.
Following, a series of expert lightning pitches will introduce key strategic levers such as:
- Multi-sectoral partnerships
- Demand-driven research and innovation
- Targeted investments
- Coherent policy frameworks
- Capacity building
These levers will be explored through real-world case studies, showcasing success stories, challenges, and lessons learned.
Participants will then dive into a world café, a dynamic small-group discussion format that encourages collaborative thinking. Participants will identify key enablers and blockers to scaling soil health initiatives, examine gender and inclusivity dimensions, and recommend actionable steps to make soil health implementation more inclusive and effective.
The session will conclude with a plenary synthesis, where participants will summarize actionable strategies to ensure that the implementation of the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan is both inclusive and impactful.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To develop actionable strategies that align with the African Fertilizer and Soil Health Action Plan, with a focused lens on inclusive and transformative approaches.
Organisers:
Center of International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF)
Contact: m.cunha@cifor-icraf.org / d.stoian@cifor-icraf.org
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:30 – 11:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: HS 3
Description:
This workshop explores the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR)/other EU regulations, and (voluntary) sustainability standards such as forest certification, and the resulting implications for value chain actors (e.g., smallholders, small and medium enterprises) in the Global South. It will kick off with a lightning talk by Dietmar Stoian (CIFOR-ICRAF) which outlines what regulations call for, including compliance for forest and agricultural value chains (e.g., beef, cocoa, coffee, soy, palm oil, rubber and timber), followed by a moderated panel and open-forum discussion.
The panel includes the following experts representing the perspectives of diverse regions, commodities, and key stakeholder groups (to be confirmed):
- Cocoa from Ghana: Michael Amoah, Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)
- Timber from tropical countries: Subhra Bhattacharjee, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
- Palm oil from Indonesia/Malaysia: tbd
- Asia: Beria Leimona, CIFOR-ICRAF
- Africa: tbd
- Latin America: Marcelo Inacio da Cunha, CIFOR-ICRAF
Main purpose of the workshop:
The purpose of this workshop is to provide a space for science-policy-practice exchange, debate, reflection and joint learning in relation to opportunities and challenges primarily linked with EU regulations aiming at reduced deforestation. Thereby exploring regulations’ interplay with (voluntary) sustainability standards/certifications, and their actual and potential implications for value chains of agricultural, food, and wood products, with actionable insights into the requirements of regulations and the role voluntary sustainability standards can play in this respect.
Organisers:
Simeon Ehui, DG IITA and John Choptiany, IITA climate lead; Claudia Ringler, Director, Natural Resources & Resilience, IFPRI; and Petra Schmitter, Principal Researcher, IWMI.
Organiser institutions: IITA, IFPRI, IWMI, KfW, GIZ, University of Goettingen, Center for Development Research (ZEF)
Contact: s.ehui@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: HS 4
Description:
Water scarcity--both in terms of per capita availability of water resources or unmet environmental flows--has been rapidly increasing as a result of population and economic growth, climate change, land use change and degradation and conflict and other shocks. Given that agricultural production uses around 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, agricultural water management plays a vital role in addressing water scarcity. At the same time, the need for sustainable expansion of irrigation is by far largest in Sub-Saharan Africa due to the region’s low share of irrigated crop area—approximately 4%—; significant inter- and intra-annual climate variability, rapidly increasing food insecurity, low dietary quality and rapid population growth.
At this workshop, CGIAR (IITA, IWMI and IFPRI), German Development Cooperation (KfW, GIZ), the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH), and universities will examine solutions that balance the need for more irrigation with better and more sustainable agricultural water management. The event will highlight opportunities and challenges from increased irrigation and improved agricultural water management; and present lightning talks of 5-10 interventions/solutions ranging from better soil-water management to water tenure opportunities that could enable expanded agricultural water use within planetary boundaries for a better nourished and more sustainable future for Africa. We aim to feature presentations of 5 PhD student participants at Tropentag. The lighting session will be followed by a policy dialogue and a Q&A session.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The overall goal is to exchange knowledge and grow the network of applied researchers, students and practitioners in Germany and Africa interested in developing integrated agricultural water management solutions that consider both food security and nutrition and planetary health outcomes. In addition to lightning presentations from CGIAR, and German cooperation, the workshop will focus on innovative research from PhD students on agricultural water management in sub-Saharan Africa.
Organisers:
Prof. Dr. Sabine Schlüter and Dr. Rui Pedroso
TH Köln – University of Applied Sciences, ITT, Cologne, Germany
Dr. Irmgard Jordan and Dr. Céline Termote
Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT, Food Environment and Consumer Behaviour, Africa Hub, Nairobi, Kenya
Contact: i.jordan@cgiar.org / c.termote@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: HS 5
Description:
Food Value Webs can be considered as an important pathway to establish agile structures with diverse actors for an agroecological transformation. Especially in urban and peri-urban agriculture, food consumption, agriculture and food production are strongly interlinked within flexible and partly informal structures. Stakeholders from science, civil society, INGO and government can influence the functionalities in positive ways, but there are also risks of external influences and uncontrolled developments. Decision-making faces substantial barriers and challenges. Enhancing agroecology through value webs opens opportunity for increasing agrobiodiversity and dietary diversity especially in vegetable food value webs. However, there might be short- or long-term trade-offs in food safety, income levels and gender roles.
The workshop will have three components starting with 1) presentations about the concept of food value webs, relevant experiences and discussed pathways for enabling agile functional vegetable-value nets within an agroecological transformation using cases from Mozambique (TH Köln) and Kenya (Alliance Bioversity International and CIAT). Rapid Fire Presentations will be held by participants from the DAAD Alumni Seminar “Transforming agricultural and food systems for food security and conservation of biodiversity” at TH Köln to broaden the discussion and initiate the group work. 2) The groups will develop “personas” of key actors` in food value webs relevant for agroecological transformation processes. 3) Finally, the group work results will be shared in a concluding plenary session.
At the end participants will be aware about the potential of value webs in supporting food systems, potential approaches to establish enabling environments for food value actors and to critically reflect stakeholders’ decision-making processes.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Share experiences, discuss and identify relevant actors in food value webs to achieve food and nutrition security
Organisers:
Marcus Giese and Maria Oguche
University of Hohenheim
Contact: giese@uni-hohenheim.de / maria.oguche@uni-hohenheim.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person
Location: HS 6
Description:
Africa is growing fast: Navigating the resource demand of 2.5 billion people in 2050 and sustainability goals will challenge economy, social systems and the environment. To reach food security is a primary objective but this process struggles with regard to scaling, adoption and dissemination of best agricultural practices and innovations. Key areas to be tackled are community participation and local knowledge, governance, equity, and resource access, technology access and adaptation, value addition, market access and cooperatives.
This workshop offers first hand exchange opportunities with DAAD Alumni working at various key disciplines of African food systems. A World Café will deliberate on the following questions:
- What traditional farming practices can we enhance or reintroduce to support agroecological intensification?
- How can we ensure that land and water rights are distributed fairly, especially for women and youth?
- Which digital or climate-smart tools could best serve smallholder farmers in your region—and what barriers exist to accessing them?
- What can we do to make local food systems more profitable and sustainable for small farmers?
Exploring these key questions with our DAAD Agri-Alumni will provide valuable insights for in-depth understanding and therefore contribute to sustainable transformation of agri-food systems in Africa.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Discussion on the applicability and achievability of dominant narratives for Good Agricultural Practices and Innovations.
Organiser:
Dr.sc.agr. Angelika Thomas
Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Umwelt Nürtingen-Geislingen
Contact: angelika.thomas@hfwu.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: HS 8
Description:
In this workshop we want to elaborate how PhD and project research at agricultural universities can contribute to overarching goals like developing sustainable agricultural value chains. This topic includes two main aspects
- What are the requirements for research and project work in order to contribute to sustainable development? For example, to take up current topics and realise transdisciplinary research approaches?
- What are the requirements for young researchers and how can the relevant skills be promoted during their education?
Partners from the Erasmus plus project advalue (https://www.erasmus-advalue.org/) will share insights in their project work to lay the base for the discussion. Workshop participants are invited for additional inputs. Areas of the discussion can cover several aspects, such as improving research skills, realising stakeholder involvement, supporting capacity building at institutions, analysing framework conditions for PhD education and other.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To use the Erasmus project advalue (https://www.erasmus-advalue.org/) as an example for the discussion how to improve PhD education and research work
Organisers:
Daniel Callo-Concha, Institute for Environmental Sciences (iES), RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau
Anne-Katrin Broocks, Institute for Latin American Studies (LAI), Free University of Berlin
Benjamin Stuch, Kassel Institute for Sustainability, University of Kassel
Jens Boy, Institute of Soil Science, Leibniz University Hannover
Contact: calloconcha@uni-landau.de
Date: Wednesday, 10/09/2025, 09:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: Room 1051
Description:
For six years, the BMBF project Process-based & Resilience-Oriented management of Diversity Generates
sustainabilitY (PRODIGY), has sought to identify and analyze the tipping points in the southern Amazon
region, spanning Bolivia, Brazil and Peru. At the core of this effort is the analysis of social-ecological
systems (SES) resilience across scales.
The proposed workshop aims to showcase the min findings of PRODIGY through the presentation of
selected studies. These will cover various domains and disciplines, from genetic assessment of soil
biodiversity to regional climate modelling, from household strategies to sustain their livelihoods to
bottom-up institutional actions to strengthen local governance.
The presentations, five: four thematic and one overarching, will be followed by a colloquium in which
presenters and attendees will openly discuss the achievement -or not- of tipping points detection, and the
intricacies of their study.
The exercise will conclude with a wrap up exercise in which take aways and gaps will be jointly identified,
formulated and weighed by the quorum.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Discussion of PRODIGY research results and participatory consolidation of take aways and gaps on the
topic and the region; in addition, exchange and networking with individuals and institutions engaged in
the topics addressed, i.e. SES, tipping points and resilience, to foster collaboration.