Patrick Worms

Patrick Worms, Senior Science Policy Advisor at World Agroforestry (ICRAF), brings decades of expertise to this Earth Live conversation about the transformative potential of trees in agricultural landscapes.

Worms explains the science behind agroforestry, a land-use system that integrates trees with crops and livestock to create more productive, resilient, and sustainable farms. He makes the case that agroforestry is not a niche practice but a solution that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously: food security, climate resilience, biodiversity loss, and rural poverty. The conversation ranges from the biophysics of how trees improve soil health to the policy barriers that prevent wider adoption.

Drawing on examples from across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, Worms challenges the false choice between agriculture and conservation, arguing that the right trees in the right places can make farms more productive while restoring degraded landscapes.