Media Contact: Lindsay Cobb
Mobile: +1 (304) 266-7626
Email: Lindsay@trees.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Advancing Agroforestry to Meet the Sustainable Development Goals
Trees for the Future & UNITAR open workshop series to promote agroforestry
Silver Spring (February 4, 2019) – The United Nations Institute for Training and Research New York Office (UNITAR) and Trees for the Future (TREES) have joined forces to train international development practitioners. Their partnership introduces an easily deployable and replicable solution to combat hunger, poverty, and deforestation.
Training for a Sustainable Future
TREES is hosting a three-part Forest Garden Training Center workshop at the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. This initiative introduces the Forest Garden Approach, which integrates agroforestry and regenerative agriculture. By implementing these methods, degraded lands can be revitalized, crop yields can be improved, and farmers’ incomes can increase dramatically.
“We’re able to help farming families plant themselves out of poverty and hunger using the Forest Garden Approach,” says Trees for the Future Executive Director John Leary. “The more trainers we can certify, the more farmers we can reach with this proven method.”
Interactive Workshop Series for Agroforestry Trainers
This dynamic three-part training series combines fast-paced, interactive sessions designed to equip participants with both key agroforestry techniques and training facilitation skills. Successful participants will be eligible to take the Forest Garden Certification Exam. Once certified, they can join Trees for the Future’s global learning community—collaborating with trainers worldwide to achieve multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Goals 1, 2, 3, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 15.
Registration for the first of the three workshops is now open at UNITAR.org. Each session is free, but space fills up quickly. We encourage attendees to join all three workshops, though it’s not required.
Establishing Forest Gardens
February 28th – 10 am-1 pm, 3-4:40 pm
Key Workshop Objectives
- How to be an excellent training facilitator
- How to design and start a Forest Garden
- How to plant trees in agroforestry formations
Diversifying Nutrition and Income
March 27th – 10 am-1 pm, 3-4:40 pm
Key Workshop Objectives
- How to plant and grow fruit trees and vegetables that meet specific nutritional needs
- How to design a market garden
Optimizing Small Farms
April 22rd, Earth Day – 10 am-1 pm, 3-4:40 pm
Key Workshop Objectives
- How to optimize space, time, sun and water on a farm
- How to grow sustainable timber trees
- How to use soil and water conservation techniques
- How to collect and store vegetable and tree seeds
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Trees for the Future is working to end hunger and poverty for smallholder farmers through revitalizing degraded lands. Learn more about Trees for the Future and see their latest data in the TREES 2018 Impact Report.
The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) is the dedicated training and capacity building arm of the United Nations and has the mandate to enhance the effectiveness of the UN through diplomatic training. Through public awareness-raising, education, and training of public policy officials, UNITAR has focused on enhancing global decision-making and supporting country-level action, to create a world in which individuals, institutions, and organizations are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and capacities to overcome global challenges.
Contributing meaningfully to the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and helping countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals requires us to rethink how our organizational capital is structured and interacts. The Institute continuously evolves to best match the needs of the diplomatic community and the UN Agenda. Under the leadership of Executive Director Mr. Nikhil Seth, UNITAR is implementing a wide range of activities across the development spectrum as introduced in its Strategic Framework 2018-2021. These are organized under five thematic pillars: Peace, People, Planet, Prosperity, and Cross-fertilizing Knowledge and Expertise.