1st National Conference on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Change

13-14 June, 2019 in Hawassa, Ethiopia

A Collaboration between Hawassa University's Agriculture Department, the Ethiopian Ministry of Health, CLIFOOD and other parties made the 1st National Conference on Agriculture, Natural Resources and Climate Change from 13-14 June 2019 in Hawassa possible.

In Ethiopia, agriculture is the backbone of the economy on which the majority of the population heavily rely. Land degradation, climate change, a growing population and outmoded machinery are responsible for the low productivity of crop and livestock systems in Ethiopia. Therefore, the goal of the conference was to advance knowledge, enhance technology and create a vivid exchange between stakeholders, partners, experts and others players. This conference served as a platform for discussion and knowledge sharing between multidisciplinary scientists to achieve its purpose. Major sub-themes of the symposium were sustainable intensification of crops for development, sustainable livestock intensification, environment and natural resources management, climate change impact on agriculture and food and nutrition security within the sustainable development goals. For each sub-theme at least twelve presentations were given by invited experts. The professionals were committed to find ways to increase food production and conserve genetic biodiversity while keeping the negative effects on the environment to a minimum.

CLIFOOD subproject leaders were strongly involved in making this conference possible. They did not only form the majority of the organization team and were part of the scientific committee, but also presented CLIFOOD and its ideas as well as its contribution to food security and a sustainable agriculture in Ethiopia.