Read about DigitAF and its contribution to advancing agroforestry in Europe with a catalogue of tools and databases.
Agroforestry is the deliberate combination of trees and crops and/or livestock on the same area of land to benefit from ecological or economic interactions (Burgess et al. 2015). Approximately 15.4 million hectares are under agroforestry in Europe, which corresponds to about 3.6% of the territorial area or 8.8% of the agricultural area (den Herder 2016), with silvopastoral systems, hedgerows (Augere-Granier 2020), shelterbelts and riparian buffer strips (den Herder et al. 2017) widely implemented agroforestry systems in Europe.
Agroforestry systems have been of interest to farmers, policymakers, and researchers, especially for their economic and environmental benefits – and significant climate mitigation potential at the field scale (Nabuurs et al. 2022).
Agroforestry contributes, for instance, to soil health, pollination, biodiversity conservation, carbon sequestration, nutrient cycling, and water retention. It improves productivity and the livelihood of local rural communities and reduces risk by diversifying farmers’ crop production and income streams.
Varying from region to region and from the perspective of an agroforestry farmer, agroforestry systems – like any other land management system – can have high initial costs, and their establishment is subject to the availability of suitable land, labour, capital and other assets. Depending on the region in Europe, there may be little or no financial incentives for the ecosystem services provided, a lack of market information, and how to manage agroforestry systems (Sollen-Norrlin et al. 2020).
Despite its challenges, it is important to recognise agroforestry’s potential use and contribution to sustainable land use practices.
Agroforestry in Europe
Knowledge exchange is vital to promoting innovative solutions that can help increase the productivity and sustainability of agroforestry systems (Mosquera-Losada et al. 2023) and increase farmers’ know-how on agroforestry.
To support this knowledge exchange, a Horizon Europe project, Digital Tools to Boost Agroforestry (DigitAF), and its stakeholders have compiled a catalogue of agroforestry tools and datasets to support decision-making in agroforestry.
Examples of digital tools for agroforestry in Europe
Choosing the right trees is essential for successful agroforestry. AgroforesTreeAdvice is a tool designed to help practitioners compare tree species based on specific criteria. Users can tailor their search by inputting details such as soil texture, pH levels, and other site-specific conditions, ensuring the best match for their agroforestry needs.
Another tool is the Agroforestry Planner, which helps users choose suitable tree and shrub species for various agroforestry systems, considering different soil types.
Understanding the financial implications of integrating trees and shrubs helps determine the economic viability of the agroforestry system. A cost-benefit analysis would help farmers assess the investment. Interactive Agroforestry Cost-benefit Tool (INTACT) allows users to estimate the costs and benefits for the trees and shrubs in their agroforestry project. INTACT generates an outcome that summarises and visualises their choices.
The digital gateway to advancing agroforestry in Europe
DigitAF is a Horizon Europe project funded by the European Union, where 26 European and international partners work together to advance agroforestry in Europe. The European Forest Institute (EFI) contributes to agroforestry policies, accounting for agroforestry benefits, Living Labs and common agroforestry toolbox, and dissemination, communication and exploitation.
Visit the DigitAF website to learn more, navigate their expanding catalogue, and explore BioGateway’s online tools page to learn about other tools.
References
Augère-Granier, M.L. 2020. Agroforestry in the European Union. Briefing. European Parliament. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/RegData/etudes/BRIE/2020/651982/EPRS_BRI(2020)651982_EN.pdf
Burgess, P.J., et al. 2015. AGFORWARD Project Periodic Report: January to December 2014. Cranfield University: AGFORWARD.
den Herder, M., et al. 2016. Current extent and trends of agroforestry in the EU27. AgForward. 76p. https://www.agforward.eu/documents/D1_2_Extent_of_Agroforestry.pdf
den Herder, M., et al. 2017. Current extent and stratification of agroforestry in the European Union. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 241, 121-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2017.03.005
Mosquera-Losada, M.R., et al. 2023. Policy challenges for agroforestry implementation in Europe. Front. For. Glob. Change, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/ffgc.2023.1127601
Nabuurs, G-J., et al. 2022. Agriculture, Forestry and Other Land Uses (AFOLU). In IPCC, 2022: Climate Change 2022: Mitigation of Climate Change. Contribution of Working Group III to the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change [P.R. Shukla, J. Skea, R. Slade, A. Al Khourdajie, R. van Diemen, D. McCollum, M. Pathak, S. Some, P. Vyas, R. Fradera, M. Belkacemi, A. Hasija, G. Lisboa, S. Luz, J. Malley, (eds.)]. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK and New York, NY, USA. doi: 10.1017/9781009157926.009
Sollen-Norrlin, M., Ghaley, B.B. & Rintoul, N.L.J. 2020. Agroforestry Benefits and Challenges for Adoption in Europe and Beyond. Sustainability, 12, 7001. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177001
Grape harvesting in between Sorbus domestica (sorb tree), Domaine de Restinclières, (Montpellier), France. AGFORWARD project – Flickr.