CATIE Hosts 9th Wallace Sci-Con: Tropical Tech & Agri-Ed

The IX Wallace Scientific Conference, organized by CATIE (Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza), will take place from March 3 to 5, 2026, at CATIE in Turrialba, Cartago, Costa Rica. This premier forum, established since 2002, focuses on science and technology strategies for tropical agriculture, natural resource management, and biodiversity conservation. Building on the 2023 edition's emphasis on transforming food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean amid environmental degradation and climate change, the 2026 conference integrates Nature-Based Solutions (NBS), climate change, gender, rural and indigenous perspectives, and governance to strengthen the One Health Approach. Key themes include soil science, agronomy, microbiology for resilient food systems in tropical contexts, and multidisciplinary partnerships bridging crop protection, ecology, and socio-economics. Featured speakers include experts like those with experience in soil and plant health within One Health frameworks, and Dr. Paula Fernandes, who leads projects linking agroecological practices to farm-level impacts across regions like the Caribbean, Africa, and Pacific. The conference offers three days of sessions, with registration now open providing access to all events. The official language is English, with simultaneous Spanish-English translation. It encourages high-level discussions and collaborations for sustainable agriculture in tropical and subtropical areas, addressing food production complexities, environmental quality, and human well-being in mixed farming and agroforestry landscapes.[6]