International Centre for Research in Agroforestry
United Nations Avenue
Gigiri
Nairobi
Tel: +2542524000
Fax: + 2542524001
Contact: Mr Dennis Garrity
Director General
www.worldagroforestrycentre.org

The International Council for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) was created in response to a visionary study in the mid-1970s led by forester John Bene of Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The study coined the term 'agroforestry' and called for global recognition of the key role trees play on farms. This led to the establishment of ICRAF in 1978 to promote agroforestry research in developing countries.

During the 1980s ICRAF operated as an information council focused on Africa. It joined the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) in 1991 to conduct strategic research on agroforestry at a global scale, changing its name from Council to Centre. After joining the CGIAR, the Centre explicitly linked its work to the goals of the CGIAR—reducing poverty, increasing food security and improving the environment. The Centre has expanded into South America and Southeast Asia while strengthening its activities in Africa.

In 2002 the Centre changed its name from the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry to the World Agroforestry Centre. The Centre engages in strategic alliances with a range of other institutions. Some of these partners are centres of scientific excellence in specific topics of relevance to agroforestry; others specialize in the effective delivery of research results to farmers fields.

Member of the International Land Coalition 2005

Our Vision is an agroforestry transformation in the developing world resulting in a massive increase in the use of working trees on working landscapes by smallholder rural households that helps ensure security in food, nutrition, income, health, shelter and energy and a regenerated environment.

Our mission is to advance the science and practice of agroforestry to help realise an Agroforestry Transformation throughout the developing world.