CIFOR & ICRAF in action

Landscape Alliance transforms science into action, unlocking the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to advance planetary health and human well-being. It is the shared operating name of the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF), two independent International Organizations and CGIAR Research Centers working together through a common strategy, governance and leadership structure.

CIFOR and ICRAF bring together decades of scientific leadership in forests, trees, agroforestry, biodiversity, climate, food systems and livelihoods. CIFOR, headquartered in Bogor, Indonesia, advances research on forests and landscape management to inform policies and practices that improve human well-being, protect the environment and increase equity. ICRAF, headquartered in Nairobi, Kenya, harnesses the benefits of trees for people and the environment, generating knowledge that helps governments, development partners and farmers make farming and livelihoods more sustainable.

Since 2019, CIFOR and ICRAF have worked through a strategic programmatic alignment designed to increase operational efficiency, strengthen scientific collaboration and expand global impact. While the organizations operate under a Common Board of Trustees and unified leadership, CIFOR and ICRAF remain distinct legal entities, hosted respectively by the Governments of Indonesia and Kenya. Their existing legal status, host country agreements, contractual obligations, financial systems and operational responsibilities remain unchanged.

Why Landscape Alliance

The name Landscape Alliance reflects both what we work on and how we work.

Landscapes connect forests, farms, water, biodiversity, climate, food systems and communities. A landscape approach recognizes these connections and addresses the trade-offs and opportunities that arise across whole systems, rather than treating sectors or places in isolation.

Alliance speaks to partnership. Lasting change requires governments, communities, Indigenous Peoples, scientists, civil society, finance and the private sector to work together, while respecting the distinct roles, knowledge and mandates that each partner brings. Landscape Alliance exists to turn science into action, isolation into collaboration, and effort into impact.

Our vision

Thriving landscapes where people prosper and nature flourishes.

Our mission

We transform our science into action to unlock the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes for planetary health and human well-being.

Our work

Landscape Alliance works at the intersection of science, policy and practice to deliver systems-level solutions for interconnected global challenges. Our work focuses on the power of trees, forests and agroforestry landscapes to address the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, food and nutrition insecurity, and persistent inequalities in livelihoods and well-being.

Through an integrated landscape approach, we co-design solutions with communities, governments, Indigenous Peoples, research partners, civil society and the private sector. We combine rigorous science, local and Indigenous knowledge, adaptive learning, and long-term partnerships to deliver practical, scalable and equitable impact.

Climate change mitigation and adaptation

We generate field- and satellite-based evidence on carbon dynamics, land-use trade-offs and climate resilience to support effective climate action. Our work advances forest protection and restoration, agroecology, recovery of tree-based systems and wetlands, REDD+, carbon markets, sustainable supply chains and carbon-smart land management.

Download assets

By embedding science into national planning, investment decisions and landscape governance, we help align climate mitigation and adaptation with broader development priorities. Our 2035 ambition is to help avoid or reduce 500 million metric tons of CO₂ equivalent emissions and strengthen the governance and management of 300 million hectares of forested and tree-based landscapes.

Biodiversity conservation and sustainable use

We work to conserve, restore and sustainably manage biodiversity-rich landscapes. Our science helps identify biodiversity hotspots, strengthen landscape-scale protection and restoration, conserve tree genetic resources, rebuild soil health and support policies and incentives that reward biodiversity stewardship.

We promote locally led and women-led conservation, equitable governance and sustainable natural resource management across forests, farms and production landscapes. By 2035, we aim to enable the protection, restoration or sustainable use of 240 million hectares of biodiversity-important habitats and provide science-based support to restore 15 million hectares of degraded land.

Food and nutrition security

We develop climate-resilient agroforestry, regenerative agriculture and agroecological systems that integrate trees into food production, strengthen soil health, improve water resilience and diversify diets and incomes. Our work supports farmer-centred innovation, sustainable food value chains, circular bioeconomy approaches and the integration of agroforestry into national food security and subsidy programmes.

Tree-based systems can buffer climate extremes, enrich soils, provide nutritious foods and reduce dependence on costly external inputs. By 2035, we aim to accelerate the transition of 100 million hectares of agricultural land to diversified agroforestry and agroecological practices.

Secure and sustainable livelihoods and well-being

We support communities living in forest and agroforestry landscapes to build viable, resilient and dignified livelihoods. Our work strengthens land and resource rights, inclusive governance, forest- and tree-based enterprises, women’s agency, Indigenous leadership, and equitable value chains.

We bridge scientific and traditional knowledge to support locally grounded solutions that improve well-being, protect ecosystems and shift from short-term aid to lasting, livelihood-centred transformation. By 2035, we aim to support 20 million Indigenous Peoples, local communities, women and smallholder farmers to achieve viable, resilient livelihoods.

Our approach

Landscape Alliance applies systems thinking to address competing land uses and shared challenges across landscapes. We combine scientific evidence with local knowledge, participatory monitoring, adaptive management and long-term institutional partnerships.

We work with governments, development partners, universities, research institutions, civil society, Indigenous Peoples and local communities, farmers, investors and the private sector to co-create practical, scalable solutions.

Our offerings include science-based innovations, actionable intelligence, policy and governance support, programme management and implementation, stakeholder engagement, strategic communications, learning and capacity strengthening, and rights-based approaches to gender equity, social inclusion and Indigenous and local community leadership.

Our global presence

Landscape Alliance works across Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe, with nearly 900 staff, offices in 25 countries and activities in more than 90 countries. Its global reach is strengthened by host country agreements and longstanding partnerships with national governments, including support for headquarters and regional hubs in Nairobi, Bogor, Lima and Bonn.

Our ambition to 2035

By 2035, Landscape Alliance is committed to measurable, global-scale outcomes for climate, biodiversity, restoration, resilient livelihoods and agroforestry transformation. These commitments are grounded in science, data, partnerships and implementation experience.

Our ambition includes contributing to avoided or reduced emissions, strengthened landscape governance, protection and restoration of biodiversity-important habitats, restoration of degraded land, transition to diversified agroforestry systems, and support for resilient livelihoods.

Our legal identity

Landscape Alliance is the operating name of CIFOR and ICRAF. CIFOR and ICRAF are independent International Organizations and CGIAR Research Centers. The use of the Landscape Alliance name does not alter their separate legal identities, host country arrangements, contractual obligations or operational responsibilities.

Innovations

Our work tackles global and national challenges through three core approaches.

Transformative Partnership Platforms

Alliances that bring together resources and expertise to address critical challenges

Engagement Landscapes

Geographic locations where we carry out concentrated, long-term transformative work with diverse and committed partners

Flagship Products

Initiatives that provide action-oriented insights into key global issues