EURAF

Agroforestry Development Programme 2006 – 2011

agroof — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:56:00 +0000

During the European research programme SAFE (Silvorable Agroforestry For Europe / www.ensam.inra.fr/safe/), a survey among cereal farmers in several French regions have shown that almost 30% of interviewed farmers were willing to attempt an agroforestry project on their farm.

This survey has also highlighted the need for farmers to obtain technical support in the implementation process and management of agroforestry systems. Another outcome of this study was the lack of access to information from extension services, the lack of knowledge on agroforestry and the type of advice to give to farmers. Facing this demand, about twenty research and development teams gathered to set up a National Development Programme, funded by the French Ministry of Agriculture and several regional local authorities.

The first phase of this programme (2006-2008) resulted in:

Capitalizing on research and development experiments and pioneer agroforestry projects
Providing decision making tools to all agroforestry stakeholders, based on research studies from all European research partners on modelling agroforestry systems
Creating a national association (www.agroforesterie.fr) to organise and exchange information, follow up with regulation reforms and increase building capacity of development agents through training programmes
Building a national network of 50 farms experimenting with agroforestry

The second phase (2009-2011) aims at improving the agro-ecological performances of agroforestry systems. Based on the national network, this new phase will focus on enhancing the management of agroforestry systems on 4 main aspects:

Biodiversity: assessment of functional biodiversity in agroforestry systems
Water: evaluation of water cycle in agroforestry systems and their impact in water conservation in sensitive areas
Soil: study of the impact of agroforestry systems on soil fertility (biological activity and organic matter aspects)
Biomass: evaluation of energy biomass production potential by agroforestry systems

Throughout the different phases of this programme an significant effort has been made to improve communication tools and share information on the role and issues of agroforestry and its development at grassroots level. A book (written in French) has been published in 2008 by Christian Dupraz and Fabien Liagre and more recently a 65 mn documentary in 2009 (Authors: Fabien Liagre and Nicolas Girardin).

This documentary has been filmed during the National Agroforestry Programme and aims at improving through images and interviews of the main stakeholders of modern agroforestry, the understanding of these new systems. This film (DVD HD / 65 mn) can be used as a communication tool to raise awareness or as an educational tool for training programmes with farmers, foresters or students in high schools or universities). Through the portraits of pioneer farmers, the description of traditional practices to new experiences, the film presents the issues of agroforestry today and the different management practices to set up and follow up agroforestry projects.

2 years of filming, 45 interviews and 36 000 km have been necessary to follow up farmers during different seasons and produce all the images of this documentary.

This film is available in French with English, Dutch and Portuguese subtitles. To order this film please contact Agroof at contact@agroof.net.

Projet de développement de l’Agroforesterie 2006 – 2011

agroof — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:48:37 +0000

Dans le cadre du projet SAFE, des enquêtes auprès d’un échantillon de céréaliers de plusieurs régions françaises ont montré que près de 30 % des agriculteurs interrogés ont été séduits par l’idée de mettre en place un projet agroforestier sur leur exploitation.

Mais ces enquêtes ont également révélé que les agriculteurs ont un besoin important de soutien technique pour la mise en place et la gestion de ces parcelles. Elles ont également mis en relief le manque d’information disponible auprès des services d’encadrement au sujet de l’agroforesterie.

Face à cette demande, une vingtaine d’équipes de recherche développement se sont unies pour lancer un projet national de développement, financé par le Ministère de l’Agriculture et certaines régions.

Une première phase (2006-2008) a permis de

Capitaliser les expériences de recherche développement et des projets agroforestiers pionniers.
Fournir aux acteurs du développement des outils d’aides à la décision et d’analyse de projets et des ouvrages de synthèse, à partir des travaux de recherche de l’INRA et de ses partenaires Européens sur la modélisation des systèmes agroforestiers.
Créer une association nationale pour organiser l’échange d’informations, suivre les réformes réglementaires en cours et former les agents du développement (www.agroforesterie.fr)
Créer un réseau d’une cinquantaine de projets de démonstrations chez des agriculteurs.

La deuxième phase (2009-2011) vise à améliorer la performance agroécologique des systèmes agroforestiers. En s’appuyant sur le réseau de parcelles pilotes, le projet se propose d’affiner les itinéraires techniques agroforestiers sur 4 thèmes prioritaires :

Biodiversité : Evaluation de l’impact des aménagements agroforestiers sur la biodiversité fonctionnelle
Eau : Etude du cycle de l’eau et de l’azote au sein des systèmes agroforestiers et caractérisation des impacts des aménagements agroforestiers sur des territoires à enjeux de protection de l’eau;
Sol : Evaluation de l’mpact de l’agroforesterie sur la fertilité biologique et organique des sols ;
Biomasse : Etude des potentialités offertes par l’agroforesterie pour la production de biomasse à des fins énergétiques;

Au cours de ces projets, un travail important a été réalisé pour améliorer la communication et l’information autour des enjeux de l’agroforesterie et de sa mise en place sur le terrain. Un livre (en français) est paru en 2008, écrit par Christian Dupraz et Fabien Liagre. Un film documentaire de 65 mn est paru en 2009 (auteurs : Fabien Liagre et Nicolas Girardin)

Le film qui a été réalisé durant le projet vise à mieux faire comprendre, à partir d’ images et d’interviews des acteurs clés de l’agroforesterie moderne, en quoi consistent ces nouveaux systèmes. Ce film sous format DVD HD de 65 minutes permettra d’appuyer des sessions d’animation et de formation réalisées en milieu professionnel agricole et forestier, ainsi que dans les milieux de l’enseignement (lycées, grandes écoles). Après avoir décrit les systèmes agroforestiers traditionnels et modernes et leur évolution, il présente, à partir de portraits d’agriculteurs pionniers, les enjeux de l’agroforesterie et les techniques de création et d’entretien de projets.

45 interviews ont été réalisées et 36 000 km ont été parcourus pour l’obtention des images nécessaires. Le tournage a duré quasiment 2 ans afin de pouvoir suivre les exploitations au fil des saisons.

(film disponible en version française sous-titrée en Néerlandais, Anglais et Portugais. Pour commander le film : contact@agroof.net ).

Agroforestry in the Netherlands

agrofore — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 12:57:46 +0000

Photo: A Oosterbaan & ATKuiters

Anne Oosterbaan and Loek Kuiters have summarized the agroforestry situation in the Netherlands in the Springer book ‘Agroforestry in Europe’. They advocate agroforestry as a multi-purpose system to produce attractive landscapes, biodiversity, fruits, timber, bark and twigs, crops, recreation and other products like honey.

Whilst farming originally migrated from the forest, a high rate of cultivation led to almost complete degradation of Dutch forests. To conserve what remains it was necessary with the Forest Law in 1938 to prohibit grazing within them. However, in from the early 80s grazing has been permitted in a controlled manner. One agroforestry system, which existed for a long period in the Netherlands, was growing high-branching fruit trees (boguards) with an underlayer of grass, which was either mowed or grazed by cows and sheep. Recently there has been an increased interest in combining trees as multipurpose natural elements with agricultural activities. Research and demonstration projects have been established in different parts of the Netherlands, with walnut being the most widely planted trees species. Density varies between 25 and 100 trees per ha. Understorey vegetation is mostly grass, which is grazed by sheep, cows or horses/ponies or is mowed and made into silage. Other combinations of tree species with understorey are being explored. Different models for assessing financial consequences have been developed, and some research carried out regarding the attitude of farmers to agroforestry. Farmers from different regions had different attitudes: those closer to urban areas seemed to favour agroforestry, while those in less densely populated areas were unconvinced.

Tree planting on farms in Yorkshire to be encouraged to prevent flooding

agrofore — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:15:03 +0000

Photo: Christian Dupraz

Farmers in the Ripon area of Yorkshire are being offered enhanced grants by the Environment Agency to help reduce flooding risk.

The Ripon Multi Objective Project has been set up specifically to protect the town of Ripon from flooding. The project area falls mainly within the Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and covers some some 140 sq km of land to the west of the city which drains into the River Skell, River Laver, Kex Beck and their tributaries. The project aims to slow down water run-off from the land by changing land management. It should also help prevent soil and nutrient loss and create new habitats to improve biodiversity. More information is available here.

‘Agrofore’ has seen lines of trees planted in ‘herring-bone’ shapes on the flood plains of French rivers (see photo). Colleagues are invited to comment on suitable designs which could be used in Yorkshire?

North American agroforestry: integrated science and practice

agrofore — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 21:58:03 +0000

Creating consumer markets for forest-grown products, reducing nonpoint source pollution, protecting waterfowl habitat, diversifying farm operations—these are just a few of the ways agroforestry is moving to the forefront of the land-use discussion in North America.

A new edition of North American Agroforestry: An Integrated Science and Practice, was published by the American Society of Agronomy on 24/6/09 and adds to the excitement and builds upon the science of previous editions. Agroforestry can create greater economic value, enhance biodiversity, and improve soil, water and air quality on many sites. The book brings together leading scientists who explain the basic concepts and ecological foundations of agroforestry, present specific management practices and strategies, and discuss economic and policy issues.

More information here

Mississippi State University succeeds with pine agroforestry

agrofore — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:15:33 +0000

The Mississippi State University Extension Service is growing loblolly and shortleaf pine in rows with with either clover or soybeans, corn, milo or switchgrass in the alleys between trees. The trees are planted in either two rows or four rows with a 40-foot alley between sets of trees. Data shows that agroforestry plantings are more profitable over time than a regular forest plantation because with the crops grown in the alleys, you are making more money in between timber harvests than you would just by thinning the trees. Other benefits of agroforestry systems include reduced runoff and erosion, improved water quality and nutrient cycling. These benefits can make the system more profitable by lowering inputs such as fertilizer into the system, increasing revenues from hunting leases and lowering environmental impacts.

Foresters are however worried about the quality of the timber and recognise that the challenge for agroforestry (with pines at least) is not producing the maximum volume but producing good-quality timber.

More information is available here and here.

Photo: Sarah W. Workman and Samuel C. Allen

The Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service is growing loblolly and shortleaf pine in rows with with either clover or soybeans, corn, milo or switchgrass in the alleys between trees. El Estado de Mississippi UniversityExtension El servicio es cada vez mayor loblolly y shortleaf de pino en las filas con el trébol o bien con la soja, maíz, switchgrass milo o en los callejones entre los árboles. The trees are planted in either two rows or four rows with a 40-foot alley between sets of trees. Los árboles se plantan en filas o dos o cuatro filas con un pasillo de 40 pies entre los conjuntos de árboles. Data shows that agroforestry plantings are more profitable over time than a regular forest plantation because with the crops grown in the alleys, you are making more money in between timber harvests than you would just by thinning the trees. Los datos muestran que las plantaciones agroforestales son más rentables en el tiempo que una plantación forestal, ya que con los cultivos en los callejones, que está ganando más dinero en las cosechas de madera entre los que sólo por el raleo de árboles. Other benefits of agroforestry systems include reduced runoff and erosion, improved water quality and nutrient cycling. Otros beneficios de los sistemas agroforestales, la reducción de la escorrentía y la erosión, la mejora de la calidad del agua y el ciclo de nutrientes. These benefits can make the system more profitable by lowering inputs such as fertilizer into the system, increasing revenues from hunting leases and lowering environmental impacts. Estos beneficios pueden hacer el sistema más rentable por la reducción de insumos como fertilizantes en el sistema, aumentar los ingresos de arrendamiento de la caza y la reducción de los impactos ambientales.

3rd meeting of French Association for Trees and Rural Hedges

agrofore — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 11:02:46 +0000

Photo: Chrisitian Dupraz

This meeting will take place from 21-22 October in Fourmies (Nord). The focus is on agriculture, trees and biodiversity, and an excellent programme of lectures, workshops and field trips has been organised. Full details are available here – from which the following text is translated ….

20 years ago Fourmies welcomed the ‘European Colloquium on the Future of Wooded Landscapes”: a meeting which emphasised the environmental threats to hedges and small woods within productive agricultural systems. In 20 years, from being a simple element within a woodland, the tree has been recognised as essential to both agriculture and biodiversity. Trees must also be recognised in policy terms as partners to agriculture, to biodiversity and to profitability. Between economics, biodiversity, carbon sinks and climate change, many new uses, new practices and new professions are emerging. At the cross-over between forestry and agriculture, modern agroforestry has been born. But how can we exploit these new practices and bring into effect the ecological advantages of mixing trees, agriculture and biodiversity? Welcome to Fourmies – where we can explore the roles of differnt actors in this new rural partnership.

Agroforestry in Hungary

agrofore — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:29:36 +0000

Photo: Péter Szabó

Hungary is the only country in Central Europe to implement the EU Measure 222 (First Establishment of Agroforestry on Agricultural Land). In the summary of implementation of forestry measures in national and regional Rural Development plans (here) the objectives, actions and targets in Hungary are noted as:

Objectives: The measure will contribute to the objectives of establishing a new land use system by combining extensive agricultural and forestry systems with a view to maintaining a sustainable land management and facilitate protection of soils against erosion.

Actions: establishment of agro-forestry systems for grazing purposes to be maintained for a minimum period of 5 years (support only for the establishment of tree elements), maximum density 250 trees/ha.

Targets: 3 000 ha new agroforestry system involving 300 beneficiaries.

Anyone from Hungary reading this is invited to ´Register´(bottom right screen) and submit more information on how this scheme is being implemented.

Agroforestry in Spanish Rural Development Plans

agrofore — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 19:38:59 +0000

Picture: Gerardo Moreno

According to a recent review of the implementation of forestry measures in national Rural Development Plans, Measure 222 (Article 44: First use of agroforestry on agricultural land) has been implemented in 6 Autonomous Regions of Spain. These are Galicia, Extremadura, Asturias, Andalucia, Aragon and the Canaries.

The following is planned in Extremadura:

Objectives: The purpose of the measure is to support the establishment of agro-forestry systems with their high ecological and social value and aimed at production of high-quality wood and other forest products.
Eligible actions: Support will cover the costs of establishment of “”Dehesa”” type agro-forestry system. The areas of intervention are mixed systems of forests and grazing or rotational crops with tree cover ranging from 5% and 60%. The ground is used for grazing and crop production, and the forestry component yields various high quality wood products and timber.
The density of planting must not exceed 200 plants / ha. The agrarian use is the extensive grazing or dry crops; Eligible actions: Support will cover the costs of establishment of “Dehesa” type agro-forestry system. The areas of intervention are mixed systems of forests and grazing or rotational crops with tree cover ranging from 5% to 60%. The ground is used for grazing and crop production, and the forestry component yields various high quality wood products and timber.
Interventions include: densification of “Dehesas” with a tree cover level below 5%, restorations in river shores to fight erosion, hedges between agrarian surfaces… etc.
Targets: 12 000 ha new agroforestry systems involving 600 beneficiaries.

More information is invited from contributors in the other Regions? Please ’Register’ (bottom right) to be able to post messages.

Forum Agroforstsysteme in Jena

agrofore — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 16:06:11 +0000

None of the German Lander implemented the RDR Article 44 (establishment of new agroforestry on agricultural land), but there appear to be 3 active research projects.

The University of Friburg conducted a project called the ‘Agroforst Cooperative Project; with funding from Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). It evaluated a number of management methods in Baden-Württemberg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The project started on April, 1st 2005 and finished September 30, 2008. More details are available here.

A project has recently started at the Technical University of Munich to examine the potential of agroforestry (including traditional systems such as orchards and modern systems such as alley cropping) to examine the opportunities to integrate wood, food, C-sequestration and energy production with nature conservation. Funding is provided by the Federal office for Nature Conservation and the project runs from 11/08 to 10/10. Policy recommendations will be made to the Federal Government for improvements in both carbon-trading and agri-environmental legislation. Recommendations for legal, financial and planning instruments are envisaged. More information is available here.

A project on ‘short-rotation coppice agroforestry systems’ has recently started at the Thuringer Landesanstalt fur Landwitrshaft. No website yet.

The third project was described at a very interesting workshop in Jena in May 2009 titled ‘Forum Agroforstsysteme’. Other presentations (only in German) at this workshop included: bioenergy in Thuringia; the legal framework for agroforestry; wood-energy and agroforestry systems; targets for German resources; overview of agroforest systems in Europe (SAFE project); economic and ecological evaluation of agroforestry systems; strip cultivation of fast growing species; economic and environmental aspects of tree strips for landscaping and erosion protection; the value of timber in agroforestry systems; wood-energy – opportunities and risks from the perspective of environmental protection; energy wood from plantations or agroforestry – a comparative perspective; field visits to energy and agroforestry plots in Dornburg. Full information is here and here. Comments are invited from colleagues in Germany.