This forum will bring together each of the key themes and players from our previous events on smallholder farmer resilience, deforestation and sustainable agriculture. The Sustainable Landscapes Conference will tackle the biggest issues faced by business in creating a net positive impact and ensuring sustainable and resilient agricultural supply chains.

The impacts of climate change increasingly forces people away from their homes and livelihoods. Increased droughts force small-scale farmers to abandon their land and the rising sea level pushes poor families living in delta cities away from their homes.

The United Nations designated the first Monday of October of every year as World Habitat Day to reflect on the state of our towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The Day is also intended to remind the world that we all have the power and the responsibility to shape the future of our cities and towns.

The annual interdisciplinary conference on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management and rural development (TROPENTAG) is jointly organised by the universities of Berlin, Bonn, Göttingen, Hohenheim, Kassel-Witzenhausen, Hamburg, ZALF e.V., ETH Zurich (Switzerland), Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (Czech Republic), BOKU Vienna (Austria

Speakers

Anna Locke - Head of Programme, Agricultural Development and Policy, ODI

Chris Penrose-Buckley - Senior Advisor, Land Policy Lead, Department for International Development (DFID)

The meeting of the high-level political forum on sustainable development in 2018 convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council will be held from Monday, 9 July, to Wednesday, 18 July 2018; including the three-day ministerial meeting of the forum from Monday, 16 July, to Wednesday, 18 July 2018.

Large-scale acquisition of land in the global South has received a great deal of interest in the last few years. Especially following the food crisis (2003-08), and stimulated by the growing demand for biofuels, pressure on land continues to increase. This course provides a multidisciplinary analysis of the ‘land rush’ within the more general context of land governance in Africa, Asia and Latin America: the history and drivers, the diversity of stakeholders and networks involved, the urgency of current challenges, and innovative governance solutions.

"Transforming Africa's Development Through Innovation, Youth & Technology" - There has been some progress on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Africa since their introduction in 2015, but to achieve the equitable and prosperous future that the continent strives for, progress must be transformational. Technology, innovation and youth will be key drivers in this transformation and impact investment and innovative finance will help to catalyse growth.

Over a billion people worldwide, predominately smallholder farmers, lack secure land rights, which are crucial for obtaining loans and providing the long-term visibility necessary for planning successful agricultural operations. Open data technologies enable mapping and access to information on land rights, which in turn can lead to more protection for community and smallholder farmers.

The conference will provide a platform for agricultural information and knowledge specialists in Africa to discuss and strategize their contributions to the global 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the African Union's Agenda 2063, focusing on the conference theme and sub-themes. 

Embracing our smart world  where the continents connect: