|
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 Workshops
register before 10 September
Additionally to the conference programme you have the possibility to attend pre-conference workshops.
Below you will find short descriptions as well as details on time and date of the workshop.
If you are interested in participating in one of those workshops, please contact the workshop organisers respectively. You find the particular contact details together with the
description. Please do mention `Tropentag' in the email subject line.
Tuesday workshops
Wednesday workshops
Tuesday workshops
Organisers:
Dr. Alejandra Valdés-Uribe, Axel Gualdoni-Becerra and Dr. Rene Heim
University of Göttingen, Germany
Contact: darlyn.valdesuribe@uni-goettingen.de, agualdo@uni-goettingen.de, rene.heim@uni-goettingen.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.101
Description:
This workshop is organised by the Latin American Land Use under Climate Change (LALUC) network, a Göttingen-based group working on land use change and climate adaptation in Latin America. We warmly invite other researchers with an interest in Latin America to join us, whether or not you are already connected to the network, to develop concrete proposal ideas together around land use change, biodiversity, fire, and climate adaptation in the region.
Through structured idea generation, cross-disciplinary exchange, and collaborative writing, participants will move from an initial research question to a working proposal canvas.
The workshop is anchored in the Biodiversa+ BiodivFuture call, which funds future-looking, transnational research on biodiversity and novel ecosystems. Ideas that do not fit its scope will remain useful for smaller funding opportunities.
The workshop is designed for researchers at all career stages with an interest in interdisciplinary and co-created science. Participants are asked to complete a short intake form prior to the event to allow for balanced group composition.
Main purpose of the workshop:
- To develop concrete interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary project outlines on land use under climate change in Latin America that can be further developed into funding applications, with a primary focus on the Biodiversa+ BiodivFuture call;
- To connect researchers from different disciplines and career stages with existing and new partners interested in the LALUC thematic agenda;
- To identify researchers interested in actively shaping a consortium around the Biodiversa+ BiodivFuture call;
- To strengthen proposal development around co-design, stakeholder engagement, and science-policy-society exchange, which were identified as central elements for future collaboration in the LALUC process;
- To identify a small number of promising thematic clusters that can continue proposal development after Tropentag.
Organiser:
Michael Brüntrup
Let’s Plant e.V
Contact: Michael.bruentrup@idos-research.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 13:00 – 15:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.105
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.
Organisers:
Mr. Hans Jurgen Klein, Ms. Namerta Sharma and Dr. Jegan Sekar
Support to Agroecological Transformation Processes in India (SuATI)
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, India
Contact: namerta.sharma@giz.de; jegan.sekar@giz.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 – 18:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop, with potential hybrid streaming if requested by participants
Location: VG 0.111
Description:
Agrobiodiversity loss and increasing climate risks pose critical challenges for smallholder farming systems. This workshop presents Karnataka's integrated response through two interconnected approaches: (1) a state-level framework for large-scale landrace identification, documentation, and in situ conservation, including seed custodian incentive schemes and policy mainstreaming through public extension systems; and (2) a landscape-based model anchored in the Joida organic block — designated as an organic and landrace conservation region — demonstrating how cluster-based organic farming, community seed systems, and local institutions can operationalise policy on the ground. GIZ-SuATI, in partnership with the Department of Agriculture, Government of Karnataka, has contributed to shaping and implementing both approaches. The session will use a world café format with four thematic stations, followed by a group synthesis and co-design exercise on replication principles and approaches.
Main purpose of the workshop
- present Karnataka's state-level policy framework for landrace conservation, including incentive schemes, subsidies, and mainstreaming mechanisms;
- share insights from the Joida organic block as a landscape-based implementation model;
- examine how state policy and landscape-level action interact to enable scaling; and
- facilitate peer learning and co-develop replicable strategies for integrating landrace conservation and organic block approaches into public programmes across tropical smallholder contexts.
Organisers:
Katharina Schiller, International Center for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT)
Arwen Bailey, Alliance Bioversity-CIAT
Hanna Ewell, Alliance Bioversity-CIAT
Contact: k.schiller@cgiar.org
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 – 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.104
Description:
This interactive workshop explores how systems literacy can strengthen Agricultural Research for Development (AR4D) by helping researchers and practitioners better understand complex systems and make more deliberate decisions about interventions and scaling. Through participatory exercises, group discussions, and practical reflection, participants will examine different systems-thinking approaches, their applications in research and development contexts, and the barriers that often limit their use. The workshop will also identify practical actions for integrating systems thinking into programs, projects, and scaling efforts, with the aim of supporting more holistic, equitable, and sustainable systems transformation.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To build awareness and practical understanding of systems literacy and systems-thinking approaches in AR4D, and to enable participants to identify concrete opportunities for applying systems principles to program design, implementation, and scaling for impact. It builds off of following paper: Ewell et al. (2026): No systems transformation without systems literacy. Agricultural Systems.
Organisers:
Dr. Abdel Kader Naino Jika, Université Abdou Moumouni, Niger / CRESA / Raffaella Foundation
Dr. Agnes Bernis Fonteneau, Raffaella Foundation (co-facilitator)
Contact: kaderjika@gmail.com
Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 1.102
Description:
Most food systems and agricultural development programmes stop at the species level. DATAR (www.datar-par.org) goes one step further. This free platform, available as a web portal and an Android app in seven languages, allows organisations to assess and integrate intra-specific diversity, including crop varieties, and livestock breeds, into programme planning and investment decisions. It is developed by the Platform for Agrobiodiversity Research (PAR), with support from IFAD-GEF, UNEP-GEF, The Raffaella Foundation, the McKnight Foundation, the Asian Development Bank, and the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. This platform is already deployed in Niger, Burkina Faso, Uganda, Bolivia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Armenia, China, Uzbekistan, and Burundi; DATAR generates gender-sensitive field evidence and connects it directly to interventions targeting productivity, nutrition, climate adaptation and income diversification.
This workshop presents DATAR in action, using a real multi-site dataset from Niger that documents 64 varieties across 8 villages, revealing patterns largely invisible to conventional diagnostics: 81% of varietal structure is unexplained by agroecological zoning, 59% of varieties occur in a single village, and 22 varieties are known exclusively by women. Participants will follow the full pathway from field data collection, including a live DATAR demonstration, to evidence interpretation and programme application. Complementary R-based analysis will illustrate how to deepen the exploration of DATAR outputs for organisations that want to go further.
The session is particularly relevant for researchers, development practitioners, donors, and organisations working on agrobiodiversity conservation, food security, climate resilience, and agricultural investment planning.
Main purpose of the workshop:
By the end of the session, participants will be able to: (1) understand how DATAR captures farmer-managed varietal diversity through gender-sensitive participatory surveys and focus group discussions; (2) interpret DATAR outputs and translate them into programme design, targeting, and monitoring frameworks; (3) use complementary R-based analysis to deepen evidence and produce decision-relevant visualisations; and (4) assess the conditions for deploying this approach in their own organisational and geographic contexts.
Organisers:
Matthias Finckh; Thünen Institut für Marktanalyse
Hugo Enrique Reyes Aldana; Thünen Institut für Biodiversität
Contact: matthias.finckh@thuenen.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.102
Description:
Coffee smallholders in Chiapas (Mexico) face diverse sustainability challenges: volatile incomes, biodiversity loss, and growing climate exposure. Farm-level trade-offs between profitability, biodiversity, and resilience remain difficult to communicate and discuss across disciplines.
Fincas Sostenibles was developed as a research-based decision game based on data from coffee smallholders in Chiapas. Intervention options, resource constraints, and external events are aimed to reflect real production costs, labor budgets, and hazard frequencies documented in the literature and primary field data.
In the workshop, small groups independently manage their farm over several production cycles, allocating time and money budgets to create their sustainable coffee farm.
Outcomes are tracked across three sustainability dimensions: profitability, biodiversity, and resilience.
The session concludes with a structured comparison of group outcomes and a facilitated discussion on the trade-offs experienced, game decisions, real life lessons and possibilities for game improvements.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The purpose of this workshop is knowledge exchange and creation based on a farm-development game. By grounding gameplay in empirical data from real smallholder systems, the game creates a shared reference point that bridges disciplines — agronomy, economics, ecology, and development — and makes trade-offs discussable in concrete rather than abstract terms. Beyond the game itself, the workshop offers space to identify synergies between research topics and connect like-minded people.
Organisers:
Flavia Marà
Contact: flavia.mara@wveu.org
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 3.102
Description:
This interactive capacity-building workshop introduces Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) as a cost-effective, scalable, and community-led approach to restoring degraded landscapes. Participants will explore FMNR principles and evidence, its role in climate resilience, food security, biodiversity, and livelihoods, as well as key technical practices such as land assessment, tree selection and pruning, and long-term management. The workshop also highlights FMNR as a community-driven process, including social mobilization, inclusion, and land tenure considerations, and examines opportunities for scaling in policy, research, and development contexts. Through group work, case studies, and practical exercises, participants gain insights into how FMNR can be effectively applied and adapted in diverse settings.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To build capacity and practical understanding of FMNR as a transformative, community‑led landscape restoration approach, and to enable participants to apply the FMNR concept and practice in research, development, and policy contexts.
Organisers:
Dominik Atella-Suri, Michael Brüntrup, Jochen Dürr
Contact: dsuri@uni-bonn.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 16:00 - 18:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.105
Description:
In the workshop, we will engage in science-policy-communication tools. After brief presentations by the organizers and invited experts on why science-policy communication matters, participants will work in small groups on topics related to tropical agriculture. In these groups, participants will map relevant target audiences for their topics and translate their own or shared research findings into short policy messages and recommendations. The workshop will conclude with group presentations in a “shark tank” format, i.e., groups will pitch their policy recommendations to a jury.
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop will help researchers translate their findings into messages that are relevant and useful for policymakers, NGOs, donors, and civil society actors. By the end of the workshop, participants will be able to distinguish academic communication from policy communication, detect relevant target audiences, tailor messages to these audiences, distill research findings into concise policy messages and policy briefs and reflect on the ethical boundaries between informing policy and advocating for a position.
Organisers:
Dr Ayotunde Kolawole
Contact: ayotunde.kolawole@eksu.edu.ng
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 2.104
Description:
This workshop is designed to empower rural women and extension agents with practical knowledge and skills in climate-smart and sustainable waste management practices through the production and use of low-cost biochar and briquettes. It will provide hands-on training on simple, safe, and affordable methods of converting agricultural and household organic waste into useful products such as biochar and briquettes. It will also create awareness on the environmental benefits of reducing open burning and uncontrolled decomposition of waste, which contribute to methane emissions and climate change. In addition, the workshop aims to promote waste-to-wealth opportunities by helping participants improve household waste management practices and generate additional income through the sale and use of biochar and briquettes as eco-friendly alternatives to inorganic fertilizers, firewood, and charcoal.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The main purpose is to reduce methane emission, quantifying methane impact on waste conversion and promote equitable participation in climate change.
Organisers:
Mateo Pazos and Fanny Howland
The Alliance of Bioversity International & CIAT
Contact: m.pazos@cgiar.org / f.c.howland@cgiar.org
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.103
Description:
The aim of this workshop is to reflect on how to promote gender sensitivity and to analyze how gender dynamics influence the roles and participation of women and men in the conservation of (agro)biodiversity. The workshop also aims at fostering the use of intersectional lens in agricultural research and reflecting on issues related to Gender Transformative Approaches. Building on practical case studies in Latin America, this workshop proposes to explore and discuss how qualitative gender research is designed and implemented in multifunctional landscapes research programs. Using the cases and topics of (1) youth and seed conservation, (2) women and indigenous agrotourism, (3) women’s participation in livestock, (4) women’s social movements for environmental defense, we will discuss research question formulation, relevant theoretical approaches, qualitative methods, and fieldwork challenges. The workshop will include practical presentations, work groups and discussions. The workshop will contribute to sharing innovative methods replicable in other contexts and topics. It will also allow participants to reflect on the research cycle focusing on qualitative gender research. The workshop will also foster collaboration and networking amongst participants and experts in the field, encouraging cross-disciplinary collaboration.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The purpose of the workshop is to provide advanced students (masters and PhDs) and interested researchers with a deeper understanding of gender dynamics within the context of agrobiodiversity conservation research, sharing innovative methodologies, discussing the challenges and opportunities specific to gender research in agricultural contexts, and showcasing experiences that challenge traditional research paradigms.
Organiser:
Simon Thomsen and Melvin Lippe
Johann Heinrich von Thünen-Institute, Institute of Forestry
Contact: simon.thomsen@thuenen.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.106
Description:
Land use models allow us to explore plausible future scenarios and assess their consequences for ecosystems and society.
This workshop explores how land use in selected tropical study areas may evolve under different scenario storylines, contrasting land sharing and land sparing narratives. We use CLUinPy, a Python-based implementation of the CLUMondo land use model, as our modelling framework. Participants will:
- Learn the basics of land use modelling
- Understand how land competition is represented in CLUinPy
- Model 2–3 future scenarios collaboratively
- Discuss the implications of the results
Some proficiency in Python and spatial data handling is an advantage
Main purpose of the workshop:
The main purpose of the workshop is to gain a basic understanding of spatiotemporal land use modelling and gaining some hands-on experience in scenario-based modelling.
Organisers:
Constantje Taruli Siegenthaler, University of Teacher Education Lucerne, Public History and History Education (Master), Switzerland (Member of Friends of BENTALA Aceh)
Mirna Asnur, Co-Founder & Director of the NGO BENTALA Aceh (The Environmental Knowledge Development Institute of Aceh), Banda Aceh, Indonesia
Shahnaz Lintjewas, Diasporic Indonesian Community Organizer and Digital Network Facilitator, Founder of the Online Community RIBI, USA (Member of Friends of BENTALA Aceh)
Contact: mirnaasnur@gmail.com
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 15:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 3.101
Description:
Ecological disasters (e.g. the severe Sumatra floods in November 2025) are often framed as isolated natural catastrophes. However, local analyses highlight that they are better understood as outcomes of long-term extractive processes shaped by colonial legacies, neocolonialism, global markets, and structural inequalities – as capitalogenic crises.
From a decolonial and ecofeminist perspective, these crises do not only destroy infrastructure and livelihoods. They also disrupt the social, ecological and relational conditions that sustain life, including community networks, care practices, indigenous knowledge systems and gender relations to the land (In particular, for high-risk groups -in Indonesia's case, women-). Recognizing that the lack participation of women in natural resource governance and environmental degradation are closely interconnected, shaped by patriarchy and colonialism.
In this context, post-disaster responses and ecological solidarity raise critical questions about how support can be organized without reproducing existing colonial and extractive power asymmetries.
This workshop will discuss the emerging approaches to post-disaster recovery (including emergency response and further disaster mitigation systems) and the urgency of ecological solidarity through the experience of BENTALA Aceh and Friends of BENTALA Aceh (FoBA). Bringing together locally led practice, diasporic collaboration and mutual aid, the workshop contributes to current debates on governance and policy innovation by highlighting relational, context-specific, and locally grounded approaches to re-designing just and transformative futures in so-called rural area through worldwide lessons learned.
The workshop sessions will be structured in 3 parts:
Part 1 : Initial impuls presentations
Digging into Decolonial and Ecofeminist Perspectives: Historical, Conceptual and Practical Reflections (Constantje Taruli Siegenthaler)
-
- The Sumatra Disaster as a Capitalogenic Crisis
- Ecofeminist Critiques of “resource scarcity"
- Decolonial Perspectives on Post-disaster Solidarity
- Mutual Aid as a Practice of Redistribution and Accountability
Locally-led practices: Mutual collaboration between BENTALA Aceh and Friends of BENTALA Aceh (FoBA) (Mirna Asnur)
Case study of an emerging approaches to post- disaster recovery & ecofeminist solidarity on Sumatra, Indonesia
Shifting resources: From conventional funding to local fundraising
-
Diasporic Communities and Solidarity (Shahnaz Lintjewas)
-
- Community Building in Digital spaces
- Diasporic Identity and Responsibility
- Possibilities of Diasporic Collaboration in locally led initiatives
Part 2: Short documentary film about Neocolonialism threats in Beutong Ateuh, Aceh, Indonesia
and continue with World Café (4-5 working lesson learned stations) focusing on:
-
- Worldwide perspectives on capitalogenic crisis
- Critique on “resource scarcity” from a decolonial & ecofeminist perspective
- Synergies (Mutual aid for a just and transformative rural "development")
- Tradeoffs (Challenge and barriers in adopting a mutual aid-based decolonial & ecofeminist approaches)
Part 3: Wrap up and presentation of the workshop results
Main purpose of the workshop:
The purpose of this workshop is knowledge exchange and creation based on keynote inputs, documentary material and a participatory World Café methodology. It aims to critically examine how post-disaster recovery can be organized in ways that strengthen locally led initiatives while avoiding the reproduction of colonial and extractive power relations. By bringing together local community leadership, diasporic collaboration, and ecofeminist perspectives on mutual aid and redistribution, the workshop creates a space for reciprocal learning and critical dialogue on ecological justice and locally rooted pathways towards just and transformative futures. Participants are invited to reflect on context-specific approaches to rebuilding communities while strengthening locally grounded leadership and ecological justice.
Organiser:
Gabriel Rosero, Dela-Dem Doe Fiankor, and Liesbeth Colen
University of Göttingen, Germany
Contact: gabriel.rosero@uni-goettingen.de
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 16:00 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.107
Description:
This hands-on workshop introduces researchers to the effective use of artificial intelligence (AI) as a research assistant in R data analysis workflows. Focusing on applications in agricultural economics, the session is organized into two blocks: Prompting for Empirical Research and AI-Assisted Coding in RStudio.
In the first block, we will actively discuss and learn to formulate effective prompts for data visualization and econometric analysis, as well as to identify common AI failures. The second block focuses on integrating AI tools such as ChatGPT and GitHub Copilot into R workflows to support coding, debugging, and improving code efficiency. Participants will apply these tools to perform exploratory data analysis, estimate regression models, and conduct basic diagnostic checks.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop aims to equip participants with practical skills for integrating AI tools into R-based data analysis workflows while maintaining methodological rigor and reproducibility. It emphasizes how AI tools—such as chat-based assistants and code completion systems—can support coding, interpretation, and debugging while maintaining critical oversight and reproducibility. Participants will learn to formulate effective prompts for data visualization and econometric analysis, use AI tools to improve coding efficiency, and identify common errors and limitations in AI-generated outputs
Taking a multi-disciplinary lens in understanding the socio-technical implications of semi-intensive dairy systems for climate and biodiversity
Organiser:
Birgit Habermann, James Gibbons, Nicholas Rop, Claudia Arndt, Sonja Leitner, Simon Mwaura
Contact: s.mwaura@bangor.ac.uk
Date: Tuesday, 15/09/2026, 14:00 - 17:00 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 3.103
Description:
In the Kenyan highlands, smallholder dairy systems depend on grasslands that are increasingly being degraded by semi-intensification, land fragmentation, and climate stress. In response to that, the HABITAT project examines how smallholder dairy farmers can scale locally led pasture management practices that improve dairy productivity, biodiversity conservation, and climate mitigation in these systems.
Similar to most countries in sub-Saharan Africa, dairy farming is one of the main contributors to agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Kenya. However, even though grass-based dairy production is common across Kenya, limited evidence exists on how pasture biodiversity affects animal productivity and environmental outcomes in smallholder systems. Higher animal productivity can reduce emission intensity by increasing milk output per unit of emissions, particularly where pasture quality and digestibility improve. However, these benefits depend on maintaining sufficient pasture biomass to sustain feed intake and system performance.
Critical knowledge gaps remain on how biodiversity influences both forage quality and biomass, and on the trade-offs with soil health and ecosystem functioning, particularly soil nutrient cycling and carbon storage. This limits the development of evidence-based policies and interventions that can simultaneously support livelihoods and environmental sustainability.
The workshop presents findings from a transdisciplinary “positive deviance” approach which focused on farmers that managed more biodiverse, climate-resilient, and productive farms than their neighbors in similar environments. By combining farmer-to-farmer learning, qualitative research, and ecological and productivity modelling, the HABITAT project aims to identify pathways and enabling conditions for the scaling of locally adapted, multifunctional pasture management strategies across highland systems.
- Background about our inter- and transdisciplinary work and the project HABITAT
- Ice breaker and mixing groups with different disciplinary backgrounds/group
We will do the workshop in three thematic blocks. The online presenters will use either no slides or maximum three slides (self introduction, slide with images, slide with main insights).
Thematic Block 1:
- Research Process. This is a reflection on how we managed – or did not manage - to bring people with very different disciplinary and institutional backgrounds together. We will talk about the opportunities and challenges of stakeholder engagement, the challenges of creating sampling matched designs, and folding positive deviance and farmers knowledge into bio-physical sampling designs and scaling.
- Reflection in groups in the room and online breakout groups
Thematic Block 2:
- Pasture biodiversity, climate resilience and productivity: a complex topic that really challenged us to integrate technical, cultural and knowledge related aspects into our data collection.
- Reflection in groups in the room and online breakout groups
Thematic Block 3:
- What was in it for farmers? We reflect on the effectiveness of providing feedback on research results and data, on demand training, supporting Farmer to Farmer Fielddays, and a citizen science approach to biodiversity monitoring.
- Reflection in groups in the room and online breakout groups
Main purpose of the workshop:
We want to bring together the findings from the HABITAT project (https://www.gcbc.org.uk/project/habitat-harnessing-pasture-biodiversity-and-productivity/) to introduce our novel and transdisciplinary approach for understanding the role of pasture in smallholder dairy farms to a broader audience and to discuss the implications and scaling potential of this approach. Together with workshop participants we want to develop a position paper documenting and reflecting on what we achieved with this research: lessons learned, what went well, but also what not to do.
Wednesday workshops
Organisers:
Glashaus Innovation (www.insideglashaus.de) Charlotte Schumann and Aline Weinsheimer
Contact: charlotte@weareglashaus.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: V0.110
Description:
Agricultural researchers write proposals under pressure: tight timelines, donor templates, and the assumption that the problem is already understood. The result is proposals built on scientific assumptions and donor priorities, less on what end beneficiaries actually experience.
This workshop focuses on one concrete, transferable skill: user-grounded problem framing. Using Human-Centered Design (HCD) methods, participants learn to identify the assumptions embedded in their problem statements, surface what they don't yet know about their users, and reframe their research question in ways that are grounded in user reality - without abandoning their scientific methods.
Through a short introduction, a worked example using the HCD Venn diagram, and a structured group exercise applying four lightweight HCD tools (Assumption Mapping, 5 Whys, Proto-Persona, How Might We), participants reframe a real or realistic problem statement. The session closes with a practical one-pager toolbox for staying user-centered through the project lifecycle.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To equip early-career agricultural researchers with a practical method for grounding their proposal problem statements in user reality, bridging the gap between scientific expertise and the needs of end beneficiaries, within the constraints of real proposal processes.
Organisers:
Lulseged T. Desta, Director of the CGIAR Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program, CGIAR Systems Organization
Cargele Masso, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), CGIAR
Willem Ferwerda, Founder Commonland, IUCN CEM
James Reed, Landscape Alliance | CIFOR & ICRAF in action
Contact: C.Masso@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: V1.104
Description:
Multifunctional landscapes (MFLs) provide an integrated way to address climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, food insecurity, and poverty. Evidence from Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America shows that, when production, conservation, and human wellbeing goals are reconciled, MFLs can enhance productivity, strengthen landscape resilience, and improve livelihoods.
Yet implementation is often held back by a range of technical, institutional, interpersonal, and epistemological barriers including but not limited to weak indicators, fragmented governance, limited financing, insecure land tenure, and unequal participation and share of benefits and burdens, especially among women and Indigenous groups.
To overcome barriers and scale MFLs, countries need to increasingly embed them within development, climate, and agricultural policies, supported by sustained governance, ecosystem stewardship finance, participatory monitoring, secure rights, and inclusive decision-making amongst others.
Through the Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program, CGIAR and its partners support this agenda by generating evidence, testing integrated solutions, developing planning tools, and informing policy to turn multifunctionality into practice.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop aims to bring together diverse multifunctional landscape actors to share experiences, evidence, and practical lessons on advancing multifunctional landscapes. It provides an inclusive space for students, researchers, policymakers, landscape actors, academia, and development agencies to exchange knowledge on how integrated landscape approaches can address climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, food insecurity, and poverty.
Key workshop outcomes:
- Shared understanding of multifunctional landscapes (MFLs) and their role in addressing climate, biodiversity, land, food security and livelihood challenges.
- Documented lessons from country and regional experiences on what enables or constrains successful landscape approaches.
- Identified priority actions for integrating MFLs into policies, development strategies, climate plans and agricultural programmes.
- Agreement on practical entry points for inclusive governance, secure rights, participatory monitoring and shared decision-making.
- Proposed financing and partnership opportunities to support ecosystem stewardship and scale multifunctional landscape solutions.
Organiser:
Manuel Toledo, Liza Meza
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú (PUCP)
Contact: liza.meza@pucp.edu.pe
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: V2.102
Description:
This workshop introduces and critically engages with an analytical framework developed by the group of agroecology scientists from Latin America, with strong relevance for farming systems across the Global South. The framework conceptualizes agroecology not only as a set of agricultural practices but as a transformative approach that integrates ecological processes, social organization, and political agency. It connects food systems with the food sovereignty concept, placing it at the center of food system transformation to sustain peasant livelihoods and nature conservation.
We propose that agroecology scientists play a key role as allies of peasant communities in advancing this transformation in four dimensions: autonomy, horizontality, leadership, relationality based on their knowledge and experience.
Main purpose of the workshop:
- Critically assess the analytical usefulness of the proposed agroecological framework across diverse socio-ecological contexts in the Global South.
- Identify strengths, gaps, and limitations of the framework when applied beyond Latin America.
- Co-develop an expanded and adaptable set of principles that guide the role of scientists in supporting agroecological transitions toward food sovereignty.
- Foster dialogue among researchers working at the interface of ecology and agriculture on their positionality and responsibilities in transformative food systems.
Organiser: Ranjitha Puskur and Prama Mukhopadhyay
CGIAR- International Rice Research Institute
Contact: p.mukhopadhyay@cgiar.org; r.puskur@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.106
Description:
Climate-smart technologies are increasingly promoted as solutions for building resilient agrifood systems. Yet their uptake and impacts often remain uneven because technologies are embedded within broader social, institutional, and gendered contexts. This workshop introduces participants to the concept of Gender-Responsive Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles (GR-STIBs)—an approach that intentionally combines technical, social, institutional, financial, and gender-transformative innovations to address context-specific challenges. Drawing on experiences from agricultural research-for-development programs, the session will explore how bundled approaches can enhance technology adoption, strengthen resilience, and generate more equitable outcomes for women and other marginalized groups.
Workshop Plan: The workshop will combine short presentations, real-world case studies, facilitated discussions, and hands-on group exercises. Participants will be introduced to the principles of GR-STIBs and guided through the key stages of bundling: identifying context-specific constraints, selecting complementary innovations, engaging relevant stakeholders, and developing pathways for implementation and learning. Working in small groups, participants will apply these concepts to challenges from their own contexts and collaboratively develop a preliminary innovation bundle. The session will conclude with reflections on implementation, adaptation, and evaluation.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To equip participants with practical frameworks and tools to design, implement, monitor, evaluate, and learn from gender-responsive socio-technical innovation bundles (GR-STIBs) for climate-resilient agrifood systems. The workshop will help participants move beyond one-size-fits-all interventions and ad hoc bundling towards context-specific, participatory, and adaptive innovation strategies. Participants will gain insights into how technical, social, institutional, financial, and gender-transformative innovations can be intentionally combined, and how evidence, reflection, and learning can be used to continuously refine interventions and enhance their effectiveness, inclusivity, and resilience outcomes.
Organisers:
Harun Cicek, FIBL, Switzerland and Tobias Plieninger, University of Kassel / University of Göttingen, Germany
Contact: harun.cicek@fibl.org
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 1.102
Description:
The Mediterranean region faces water scarcity, land degradation, biodiversity loss, resulting in vulnerable food systems. To tackle these, the PRIMA programme funds innovative demonstration and research projects. This workshop brings together nine ongoing PRIMA-funded and HorizonEU projects to bring collective evidence and perspectives from wide range of stakeholders. The session aims to:
- Synthesize emerging lessons on water harvesting, agroforestry, neglected & underutilised species (NUS), circular economy, and the WEFE (Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems) nexus.
- Identify cross-cutting issues: upscaling, socio-economic inclusion, market integration, and policy coherence.
- Facilitate networking among researchers, practitioners, and policymakers.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To gather and present collective evidence and perspectives on tackling agricultural, environmental and socio-ecological challenges in Mediterranean region.
Organiser: Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture (DAUA): Dagmar Wittine (IAK Agrar Consulting, d.wittine@iakleipzig.de), Ignacio Sommer (IAK Agrar Consulting, i.sommer@iakleipzig.de)
German-Colombian Demonstration and Training Project for Agroecology (PACA): Alexandra Cordoba (GOPA-AFC, alexandra.cordoba@gopa.eu), Jürgen Kroschel (GOPA-AFC, juergen.kroschel@gopa.eu)
Julius Kühn Institute (JKI) - Federal Research Centre for Cultivated Plants: Doreen Babin (DAUA/Micro2Health, doreen.babin@julius-kuehn.de), Virna Moran (PACA, virna.moran@julius-kuehn.de)
National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA - Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria): Carolina Leoni (DAUA/Micro2Health, cleoni@inia.org.uy)
Zambian-German Agricultural Knowledge & Training Centre (AKTC): Helmut Anschütz (GOPA-AFC, Helmut.Anschuetz@gopa.eu)
Contact: d.wittine@iakleipzig.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 0.111
Description:
Soil quality is essential for sustaining life, as it provides the foundation for food production, ecosystem health, water regulation, and climate regulation. Soil science focuses on the biological, chemical, and physical properties, drives sustainable agriculture and protects vital, non-renewable soil resources. A key challenge is, how complex research data can be translated into accessible and actionable knowledge for farmers and practitioners. The session will exchange lessons learned and strengthen methodologies to bridge that gap by stimulating interactive discussion – based on experiences from three international cooperation projects in Latin America and Africa, supported by the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH) which are:
- The Uruguayan-German Dialogue on Agriculture (DAUA)
- The German-Colombian Demonstration and Training Project for Agroecology (PACA)
- The Zambian-German Agricultural Knowledge & Training Centre (AKTC)
The workshop will begin with an opening by a representative from BMLEH (TBC), followed by three short presentations of the mentioned project experiences. An interactive discussion guided by key questions will offer room for active exchange and co-construction of strategies.
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop explores how scientific research can contribute to the design of more sustainable agricultural systems, identify common ground and practical strategies for improving soil health within temperate and tropical agricultural systems and building more climate-resilient agricultural systems.
Organisers:
Vicki Morrone, Academic Specialist, Department of Community Sustainability, Michigan State University, USA
Lilian Beck, University of Hohenheim, Germany and CIFOR-ICRAF
Subash Surendran Padmaja, Senior Scientist, ICAR-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi, India
Contact: sorrone@msu.edu / agroecology@postdeo.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:00– 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.105
Description:
The workshop will be guided using a participatory approach, engaging participants in dialogue to co-identify challenges; accordingly. The outline will remain flexible and responsive to participants discussions.
1) Introduction (15 minutes)
- Round of introductions and expectations of participants
- Goals of the workshop
2) Role play: (Farmer and researcher) (10 minutes) — “Us and them vs. WE”
3) Objective: Critically examine how participatory research is practiced and where it reproduces or challenges power.
- Engaging in Dialogue & Sharing Lived Experiences (workshop participants share here as well)
- Role of the Process in Participatory Research (includes a short discussion on how a presenter perceives a process as participatory, when often it is not)
- Power in Participatory Approaches
- Insider and Outsider Dynamics
- Round of discussions
4) Conclusions (15 minutes)
- Reflecting on individual research practice in groups or individually.
- Final remarks.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The main purpose of the workshop is to critically explore participatory research approaches through a decolonial lens demonstrating a centring process, dialogue, and power in knowledge production. It aims to create a reflective space where participants can engage with one another’s lived experiences, question dominant research practices, and examine how institutional structures positionality can shape their work.
Through interactive discussions and case-based learning, including sharing from the participants, the workshop seeks to move beyond token participation toward more meaningful, equitable, and reflexive approaches, enabling participants to co-identify challenges and rethink how participatory research can be practiced in more inclusive and transformative ways.
Organisers:
Melvin Lippe, Thünen Institute of Forestry, Hamburg, Germany;
Prince Asare, Thünen Institute of Forestry, Hamburg, Germany;
Renezita Come Sales, Visayas State University, Baybay City, Philippines;
Samuel Bernaldez, Visayas State University, Baybay City, Philippines;
Martin Mercurio, Visayas State University, Baybay City, Philippines;
Myrna Ramos, Isabela State University, Cabagan, Philippines;
Cecilia Mangabat, Isabela State University, Cabagan, Philippines;
Jerika Rivero, Isabela State University, Cabagan, Philippines;
Joel Taggued, Isabela State University, Cabagan, Philippines
Contact: melvin.lippe@thuenen.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 09:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 2.104
Description:
This workshop will address strategies for promoting nature-based solutions (NBS) in degraded tropical landscapes, drawing on the CITIZEN-SDSS approach (https://www.thuenen.de/en/institutes/forestry/projects-1/citizen-sdss-1/). It introduces a bottom-up methodological framework integrating citizen science, Earth observation (EO) data and spatial decision support systems (SDSS) to co-design sustainable land use futures with local stakeholders. Key components include participatory scenario development, GIS-based multicriteria assessments and coupled spatiotemporal modelling (CLUinPy-InVEST), which is used to evaluate trade-offs between ecosystem services and livelihood needs.
The workshop consists of two short presentations outlining the conceptual framework and presenting case study results from four landscapes in the Philippines. This will be followed by an interactive discussion session and Q&A. The emphasis is on how participatory co-design and capacity-building processes can improve the identification of priority areas for NBS, aligning local perceptions with spatial modelling outputs. By combining stakeholder-driven knowledge with advanced spatial analytics, this approach supports decision-making processes relating to forest conservation, sustainable land management and improving livelihoods. Participants will gain practical insights into integrating participatory approaches with spatial modelling tools to support evidence-based NBS planning and implementation.
Main purpose of the workshop:
- addressing strategies for promoting nature-based solutions (NBS) in degraded tropical landscapes
- introducing a bottom-up methodological framework that integrates citizen science, Earth observation (EO) data, and spatial decision support systems (SDSS) to co-design sustainable land-use futures with local stakeholders
Organiser:
Dr. Issaka Abdulai — TROPAGS, Göttingen
Dr. M. Habib Ur-Rahman — TROPAGS, Göttingen
Dr. Irsa Ejaz — Agronomy, Göttingen
Contact: iabdula@gwdg.de, habib.rahman@uni-goettingen.de, irsa.ejaz@uni-goettingen.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.106
Description:
About the MultiStress Research Unit
the programme involves PhD students and postdoctoral researchers from University of Göttingen, Germany, Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology (JOOUST), Kenya, and partner countries.
- Climate change is increasingly exposing crops to multiple stresses at the same time, yet most research and breeding efforts still address drought, nutrient limitation, pests, and diseases separately.
- The DFG Research Unit 6101 MultiStress workshop will bring together researchers, students, and practitioners interested in understanding how combined abiotic and biotic stresses shape maize performance across contrasting environments.
- The workshop will highlight how agronomy, plant physiology, metabolomics, genomics, root biology, and biotic stress ecology can be integrated to better understand crop resilience under realistic field conditions.
- Participants will gain insight into ongoing collaborative research between Germany, Kenya (Jaramogi Oginga Odinga University of Science and Technology, JOOUST), and international partners (CYMMYT), while discussing methodological approaches, early findings, and future opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration.
- The workshop is especially relevant for researchers and students working on crop stress biology, climate-resilient agriculture, plant phenotyping, pest and disease ecology, and sustainable maize production.
We warmly invite participants to join this workshop to exchange ideas, build connections, and contribute to a broader discussion on how multi-stress research can support more resilient cropping systems in a changing climate.
| Time |
Session |
Presenter |
| 08:30–08:40 |
Welcome and introduction to the MultiStress Research Unit in Germany
Brief overview of DFG Research Unit 6101: objectives, dual-site design (Göttingen and Siaya), six sub-projects, and the multi-stress challenge, especially in the context of the maize production system in the tropics.
|
Prof. R. P. Rötter
(TROPAGS), University of Göttingen |
| 08:40–09:00 |
Introduction to the MultiStress Research Unit in Kenya (15 min + 5 min Q&A)
Current state of Multistress FOR (RU6101); Facilities, activities, and team at JOOUST.
|
Prof. D. O. Ochuodho
(Plant Ecology), JOOUST, Kenya |
| 09:00–09:20 |
Keynote Presentation (15 min + 5 min Q&A)
Maize improvement for stress-prone environments in sub-Saharan Africa: breeding progress and variety deployment
Status and outlook of multi-stress tolerant maize breeding programmes in Africa: how are drought tolerance, nitrogen use efficiency, and biotic stress resistance being integrated in variety development pipelines, and how do improved varieties reach smallholder farmers?
|
Dr. Yoseph BEYENE
Senior Maize Breeder at CIMMYT Kenya |
| 09:20–09:40 |
INVITED PRESENTATION 2 (15 min + 5 min Q&A)
Maize improvement for stress-prone environments in Kenya: Current research and outlook
|
Dr. Caleb Olweny
(Plant Breeding and Biotechnology), JOOUST, Kenya |
| 09:40–10:00 |
COFFEE BREAK (15 mins)
|
| 10:00–10:10 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 1 (6 min + 3 min Q&A)
Root physiology
Root architecture, mycorrhizal colonisation, and mucilage-mediated resource acquisition under combined drought and nitrogen deficit: evidence from the greenhouse screening experiment and field sites.
|
SP1 (Osman Mustafa) |
| 10:10–10:20 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 2 (7 min + 2 min Q&A)
Plant Physiology and Hyperspectral Imaging
Characterizing the physiological responses across tropical maize cultivars under drought stress.
|
SP2 (Angura Louis) |
| 10:20–10:30 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 3 (6 min + 3 min Q&A)
Genomics and genetic architecture of multi-stress tolerance
GWAS, transcriptomics, and epigenomics approaches for dissecting the genetic basis of combined drought, nitrogen, and biotic stress tolerance in a tropical maize diversity panel.
|
SP3 (Cedric Koehler) |
| 10:30–10:40 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 4 (6 min + 3 min Q&A)
Biotic Stress Interactions
Stem borer population dynamics under combined abiotic and biotic stress.
|
SP4 (Luisa Wimmer) |
| 10:40–10:50 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 5 (8 min + 3 min Q&A)
Biotic stress interactions and disease ecology
Northern Leaf Blight progression and mycotoxin contamination under combined abiotic and biotic stress.
|
SP5 (Anna Huß & Nora Adera) |
| 10:50–11:00 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 6 (6 min + 3 min Q&A)
Metabolomics and biochemical stress responses
Secondary metabolite profiles.
|
ZP (Eunice Ofori) |
| 11:00–11:10 |
STUDENT PRESENTATION 7 (6 min + 3 min Q&A)
Developing Modelling Routines for Multistress Model
|
SP6 (Michael Mugarura) |
| 11:10–11:30 |
OPEN DISCUSSION
Facilitated discussion with all participants: reactions to the findings, connections between the African context and the consortium research, and opportunities for collaboration.
|
Moderated by Dr. Ejaz, Dr. Habib, & Dr. Abdulai |
Organisers:
Aiveen Donnelly / Michael Brüntrup
IDOS (German Institute of Development and Sustainability)
Contact: aiveen.donnelly@idos-research.de / michael.bruentrup@idos-research.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.101
Description:
This workshop marks the conclusion of a multi-year series of pre-conference workshops at Tropentag, organised by a consortium of the INTERFACES accompanying project and the four regional projects COINS, DecLaRe, InfoRange, and Minodu from the research programme “Sustainable Land Management in Sub-Saharan Africa: Improving livelihoods through local research”, funded by the Bundesministerium für Forschung, Technologie und Raumfahrt (BMFTR). Previous editions explored research conditions for innovations (2023), knowledge co-creation and management (2024) and operation of science-policy interfaces (2025). This final workshop shifts the focus from methods and communication to findings, presenting and discussing key results from across the programme.
As the programme draws to a close, this pre-conference workshop will present insights from the programme's synthesis product, bringing together overarching themes from across the regional projects into a collective conversation. Within this setting, the workshop offers a space for researchers, practitioners, and partners from Germany, African countries and beyond to share research findings, reflect on lessons learned and exploring possibilities for future collaboration, envisioning that the connections and knowledge built over the course of the programme continue to bear fruit. We explicitly invite researchers outside the consortium to join the discussions and our knowledge network.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Networking, information sharing, disseminate research results and policy advice from 4-year research consortia.
Organisers:
Marcus Giese; Kristina Mensah and Christine Wieck
University of Hohenheim
Contact: m.giese@uni-hohenheim.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 2.103
Description:
This workshop proposes a collaborative platform to advance sustainable and resilient food systems through the integration of applied data science and agri-food systems research. Positioned at the nexus of digital innovation and agricultural development, the session will explore how data-driven tools and research approaches —ranging from e.g. remote sensing and AI-based analytics to participatory data platforms — can enhance decision-making, productivity, and sustainability across diverse food system contexts in Africa and beyond.
The workshop will feature interactive sessions combining short inputs, case studies, and group work to address three thematic areas: (1) optimizing food system performance through digital supported agriculture and data integration; (2) strengthening knowledge transfer mechanisms between research, policy, and practice; and (3) developing innovative training approaches to build local capacities in agricultural and food data science. Participants will engage in co-design exercises to identify scalable solutions and collaborative research opportunities.
By fostering interdisciplinary exchange and practical learning, the workshop aims to contribute to improved food system outcomes, support evidence-based policymaking, and strengthen human capital. Ultimately, it aligns with UKUDLA’s vision of empowering young scientists and stakeholders with the skills and tools needed for sustainable food systems transformation.
Main purpose of the workshop:
To foster collaboration, practical learning and exchange of how data-driven and digital approaches can strengthen sustainable and resilient food systems while advancing capacity building, research, and knowledge transfer.
Organiser:
Dr. Silke Stöber, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Seminar für Ländliche Entwicklung / Centre for Rural Development (SLE)
Contact: silke.stoeber@agrar.hu-berlin.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 – 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 3.102
Description:
Since its introduction by FAO in the late 1980s, the Farmer Field School (FFS) approach has become one of the world’s most widely used participatory agricultural learning methods. Its enduring relevance lies in placing farmers at the centre of learning through experimentation, local knowledge, peer exchange, and collective decision-making.
Over the decades, field schools have evolved to reflect local needs and priorities. Climate Field Schools promote agroecology and climate resilience, while Farmer Business Schools focus on entrepreneurship and market engagement. In Indonesia, the Climate Business Field School model, developed within the framework of the Rural Youth Climate Action Movement (RYCAM), combines agroecopreneurship, organic soil fertility and pest management, digital tools, and the empowerment of youth and women.
Despite these diverse forms, field schools share a common foundation: learning by doing, collective problem-solving, local adaptation, and strengthening farmers’ capacity to innovate. These principles continue to drive their impact and relevance.
This workshop brings together researchers and practitioners from different regions to share experiences, explore diverse field school models, and discuss what makes the approach effective across local contexts.
Main purpose of the workshop:
This workshop explores what makes Farmer Field Schools effective for farmers and rural youth, drawing on experiences from researchers and practitioners in Indonesia and Kenya, with additional country examples depending on participants. Workshop participants will reflect on successes, challenges, and lessons learned, and discuss how the approach can evolve through innovation, stronger stakeholder engagement, and support for the future of sustainable farming.
Organiser:
Dr. Shahin Alam, Project Coordinator, Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics (OPATS), Witzenhausen campus, University of Kassel, Germany
Contact: shahindps@uni-kassel.de
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 10:00 – 11:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 2.104
Description:
The increasing pressure on feed resources in the Global South has intensified interest in alternative and locally available feed sources. Circular food resources (CFRs), including food waste, by-products, and surplus biomass, offer significant potential to support ruminant feeding systems. However, their integration remains limited due to challenges related to variability, safety, quality assurance, and regulatory uncertainty.
Main purpose of the workshop: This workshop aims to explore the potential of CFRs as ruminant feed, focusing on their availability and flow, sources of generation, current management practices, and existing use within feeding systems. It will further examine safety concerns, nutritional value, inclusion level, and the role of formal and informal regulations influencing their adoption.
Special attention will be given to opportunities and constraints for large-scale utilization, as well as emerging technological solutions, particularly machine learning based rapid quality assessment tools, which may enable real-time evaluation of feed quality and safety.
Workshop structure: Following a short presentation on the background and current state of knowledge, participants will work in groups to identify key challenges, opportunities, and research gaps related to the use of CFRs in ruminant feeding systems. The groups will then explore how machine learning approaches can support the safe, efficient, and scalable adoption of CFR-based feeding strategies in the Global South.
Why join:
- Contribute to advancing circularity approaches in ruminant feeding systems
- Collaborate in developing a perspective paper for publication
- Build network for future research and funding opportunities in this area
Who can join:
We particularly welcome participants from countries across the Global South to foster diverse perspectives and cross-country learning. The workshop is open to everyone and can be attended either in person or online. To register, please contact the workshop organizer at shahindps@uni-kassel.de before the workshop registration deadline.
Organiser:
Marion Reichenbach, LED – Liechtenstein Development Service
Virna Morán, JKI – Federal Research Institute for Cultivated Plants
Contact: marion.reichenbach@led.li
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 09:30 - 11:30 h (CEST)
In-person workshop
Location: VG 1.101
Description:
This workshop explores agroecology as a social movement, beyond its sole application at the plot level or as a field of research, to reshape food systems in a more sustainable, equitable and resilient way.
Drawing on examples from Senegal as well as Colombia, it explores how smallholder farmers, local communities, and civil society organizations mobilize around agroecology to reclaim control over food systems and natural resources, and how holistic and participative research can contribute to this transformation. Key aspects include food sovereignty and the territorialization of agroecology, emphasizing the right of communities to define their own food systems, and knowledge co-creation, where traditional practices intersect scientific insights. Attention is also given to power dynamics — how agroecology challenges industrial agriculture models and addresses inequalities related to land access, gender, market systems, and research frameworks. Advocacy and policy engagement are explored as tools used by movements to reshape food systems.
Through examples from projects, inputs from representatives of the agroecological movement, and structured discussions, participants will analyze how agroecology functions as both a practice and a social movement, and how development cooperation and participative research can engage with and support these bottom-up processes without undermining their transformative potential.
Main purpose of the workshop:
The workshop aims to deepen understanding of agroecology as a transformative social movement, and to explore how it can be effectively supported through development cooperation and participative research. It also seeks to equip participants with insights into both the role of agroecology and their own role in promoting more just, sustainable, and resilient food systems. Finally, it encourages the exchange of experiences and ideas through participation and interaction.
Organisers:
Fiona Flintan, Birgit Habermann, Bernard Bett and Roopa Gogineni
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Contact: B.Habermann@cgiar.org
Date: Wednesday, 16/09/2026, 08:30 - 11:30 h (CEST)
Hybrid workshop
Location: VG 3.103
Description:
Participatory Action Research (PAR) has evolved as a transformative approach in pastoral systems, shifting from top-down transfer of technology models to empowering communities including pastoralists to lead their own development. We explore how PAR tools such as Participatory Rangeland Resource Mapping, Photovoice, Participatory Epidemiology, and Pioneer Positive Deviance foster collaboration, innovation, and resilience among pastoralists. These methods enable pastoralists to document their knowledge, address challenges such as land-use conflicts, disease surveillance, and climate adaptation, and amplify marginalized voices, particularly those of women and youth.
Case studies from East Africa and Asia demonstrate how participatory mapping empowers communities to secure grazing lands, how photovoice captures lived experiences of uncertainty, and how participatory epidemiology enhances disease surveillance. Pioneer-Positive Deviance identifies local innovators, facilitating peer-led knowledge sharing and adaptive solutions. While PAR has strengthened community agency and resilience, challenges remain in ensuring inclusive participation and overcoming power imbalances. It is imperative to translate the successes of PAR into broader policy considerations that prioritize community-led adaptation strategies.
In the workshop we will provide inputs on the different methods described above and then form discussion groups using 1-2-4-All as the core reflection format for questions and reflection on the implementation of the methods in different contexts.
Main purpose of the workshop:
Sharing of methods for PAR for multifunctional, pastoral landscapes.
|