3 European Agroforestry Conference

444 Pages·2016·18.68 MB·English

EURAF
EUROPEAN AGROFORESTRY FEDERATION

rd
3 European Agroforestry Conference
Celebrating 20 years of Agroforestry research in
Europe

Montpellier, 23-25 May 2016

Book of Abstracts

Editor:
Marie Gosme

Scientific committee:
Joana Amaral Paulo Gerardo Moreno
Robert Borek Rosa Mosquera
Paul Burgess Joao Palma
Christian Dupraz Anastasia Pantera
Nuria Ferreiro Domínguez Pierluigi Paris
Dirk Freese Andrea Pisanelli
Pilar González-Hernández Tobias Plieninger
Marie Gosme Bert Reubens
Tibor Hartel Mercedes Rois
Norbert Lamersdorf Adolfo Rosati
Gerry Lawson Jo Smith
Bohdan Lojka Andrea Vityi
Delphine Mézière
biodiversity environment
group
benefit
ecological
development farming
method
poplar
impact field ecosystem
region
condition service practice resource
carbon
cover growthyield agriculturalcanopy
distance data farmer control
area density
timewater effect
european swheyat stemdifference
year treatment
agriculture
cropping
specie
landscape change
light valueplant tree fruitarable
need biomas land alley type
plaervteolliveforest soilplot site
study studies
qualityresult root
agroforestrywoody
food
height
crop
stakeholder important
different management
reference
measure
economicclimate production farm increase
order model potential
productivity
project europe
research analysis
product environmental wood hedgerow
temperature organic sustainable
timberplantation shade

The 100 most frequent words in this document, sized proportional to their frequency
Table of contents
Table of contents ........................................................................................................ 3
SESSION DEVELOPMENT OF AGROFORESTRY IN EUROPE (AND BEYOND):
FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS, BARRIERS AND INCENTIVES ................................... 8
DRIVERS OF SWISS AGROFORESTRY IT’S NOT ALL ABOUT MONEY ......................................................... 9
CURRENT EXTENT OF AGROFORESTRY IN EUROPE ................................................................................ 13
BENEFITS AND CONSTRAINTS ASSOCIATED TO AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS: THE CASE STUDIES
IMPLEMENTED IN ITALY WITHIN THE AGFORWARD PROJECT ................................................................. 17
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF HIGH NATURAL AND CULTURAL VALUE IN EUROPE: CONSTRAINTS,
CHALLENGES AND PROPOSAL FOR THE FUTURE ..................................................................................... 21
BOTTLENECKS AND SOLUTIONS FOR INTRODUCING AGROFORESTRY: A CASE STUDY FOR THE
NETHERLANDS ................................................................................................................................................ 25
CHARACTERS IMPLEMENTING AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES IN VIRGINIA, USA: CHALLENGES AND
PATHS FORWARD ........................................................................................................................................... 28
STAKEHOLDERS’ VISIONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS FROM DEHESA
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS: A DELPHI APPROACH ................................................................................... 31
IDENTIFYING BARRIERS AND GATEWAYS FOR AGROFORESTRY ADOPTION IN THE U.S. CORN BELT 1
SHELTERBELTS IN HUNGARY ......................................................................................................................... 5
EUROPEAN IMMIGRATION AND FOOD INSECURITY: RELEVANCE OF LESSONS LEARNED FROM
AGROFORESTRY............................................................................................................................................... 8
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN SWEDEN ..................................................................................................... 12
SESSION ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS OF AGROFORESTRY .......................... 16
DOES HARVESTING HEDGES FOR WOODFUEL CONFLICT WITH THEIR DELIVERY OF OTHER
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES? ............................................................................................................................... 17
EXPERTS’ PERCEPTION OF POTENTIAL ECOSYSTEMIC SERVICES FROM AGROFORESTRY AND
OTHER AGRO-ECOLOGICAL ALTERNATIVES .............................................................................................. 21
HOW AGROFORESTRY MICROCLIMATES COULD AFFECT THE DAILY-ACTIVITY OF MAJOR
PREDATORY ARTHROPODS IN ORGANIC VEGETABLE CROPS? .............................................................. 25
ARABLE WEEDS IN ALLEY CROPPING AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS – RESULTS OF A FIRST YEAR
SURVEY ............................................................................................................................................................ 29
AGR'EAU: A FARMER-CENTERED GRASSROOTS EFFORT TO DEVELOP A RESOURCE-EFFICIENT,
ECO-FRIENDLY, CLIMATE-SMART AGRICULTURE ACROSS THE ADOUR-GARONNE CATCHMENT
BASIN (SOUTH-WEST OF FRANCE) ............................................................................................................... 33
OPTIMIZATION OF PRODUCTIVITY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF INTENSIVE CROPPING SYSTEMS
THROUGH SYMBIOTIC NITROGEN FIXATION IN AGROFORESTRY PLANTATIONS ................................. 35
WITHOUT TREES NO BEES: AGROFORESTRY FOR A PRODUCTIVE AND BEE-SMART AGRICULTURE 39
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES BY TREES OUTSIDE FOREST: SHOULD THE STRUCTURE AND LOCATION OF
NEW PLANTINGS MATTER MORE?................................................................................................................ 41
ECOSYSTEM SERVICES IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN EUROPE WITH AN EMPHASIS ON
BIODIVERSITY ................................................................................................................................................. 45
EFFECTS OF TREE ALLEYS ON SOIL STRUCTURE AND FERTILITY: IS THERE A GENERAL PATTERN?
.......................................................................................................................................................................... 48
THE POTENTIAL OF AGROFORESTRY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGICAL CONTROL BY CARABIDS . 51
A SYSTEMATIC MAP OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ASSESSMENTS AROUND EUROPEAN
AGROFORESTRY............................................................................................................................................. 53
THE IMPORTANCE OF SHELTERBELTS: A CASE STUDY FROM EASTERN HUNGARY ........................... 57
PHYTODEPURATION PROCESSES IN TWO SHORT ROTATION FORESTRY SYSTEMS WITHIN THE
VENICE LAGOON WATERSHED ..................................................................................................................... 61
SESSION INNOVATIONS IN AGROFORESTRY .................................................... 65
AGROFORESTRY: NEW CHALLENGE FOR FIELD CROP BREEDING? ....................................................... 66
FRUIT-TREES IN AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS - REVIEW AND PROSPECTS FOR THE TEMPERATE AND
MEDITERRANEAN ZONES .............................................................................................................................. 70
TRUNK – CROWN GROWTH TRADE OFF IN POLLARDED TREES: INFLUENCE ON WOOD PRODUCTION
.......................................................................................................................................................................... 74
NEW ALLEY CROPPING TRIAL IN THE MID-WESTERN US WITH MULTI-LAYER NUT AND FRUIT TREE
ROWS ............................................................................................................................................................... 77
AGFORWARD: ACHIEVEMENTS DURING THE FIRST TWO YEARS ........................................................... 80
HOW MUCH COMMERCIAL TIMBER IN YOUR PLOT, HOW MUCH CARBON SEQUESTRATED IN THE
TREES, HOW MUCH LIGHT AVAILABLE FOR UNDERCROPS? TERRESTRIAL LIDAR IS THE RIGHT
TECHNOLOGY FOR ADDRESSING THESE QUESTIONS ............................................................................. 84
SUSTAINABLE LAND-APPLICATION OF BIOCHAR IN AGROFORESTRY .................................................... 88
THE SMART PROJECT: A FOCUS ON FRUIT TREES AND VEGETABLES AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN
FRANCE ............................................................................................................................................................ 92
COMPLEX AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS FOR EUROPE: INSPIRATION FROM SUCCESSIONAL
AGROFORESTRY............................................................................................................................................. 95
VERTICAL PROJECT: DESIGN OF FRUIT AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS FOR A RENEWED
HORTICULTURE .............................................................................................................................................. 98
THE POTENTIAL OF EDIBLE FOREST GARDENING IN URBAN AREAS-A CASE STUDY FROM
STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN ................................................................................................................................ 102
SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION IN SWEDEN - TO GROW AND EAT FROM PERENNIAL
INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS – RESULTS FROM A PARTICIPATORY LEARNING AND ACTION RESEARCH
PROJECT ........................................................................................................................................................ 105
IMPROVE THE EFFICIENCY OF AFFORESTATION BY THE USE OF AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES .... 108
ADAPTING SUCCESSIONAL AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS TO EUROPEAN CONTEXT WITH
COLLABORATIVE METHODS ........................................................................................................................ 110
SESSION PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF
AGROFORESTRY ................................................................................................. 114
PRODUCTIVITY OF SILVOARABLE SYSTEMS ESTABLISHED WITH PRUNUS AVIUM L. IN GALICIA (NW
SPAIN) ............................................................................................................................................................. 115
A PARTICIPATORY APPROACH TO DEVELOP NEW PRODUCTS THAT PROMOTE SOCIAL
VALORIZATION OF AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ....................................................................................... 119
NITROGEN CREDIT TRADING AS AGROFORESTRY PAYMENT FOR ECOSYSTEM SERVICE FOR
RIPARIAN BUFFER ESTABLISHMENT ON PENNSYLVANIA FARMLAND .................................................. 122
EFFECT OF PLANT DIVERSITY ON THE GLOBAL PRODUCTIVITY OF AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN
TALAMANCA COSTA RICA ............................................................................................................................ 126
GREENING AND PRODUCTING: AN ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT FRAMEWORK FOR INTEGRATING
TREES IN CROPPING SYSTEMS .................................................................................................................. 130
AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES TO OVERCOME PRICES VOLATILITY: THE CASE OF RUBBER IN
PHATTHALUNG PROVINCE, THAILAND ....................................................................................................... 133
HERBICIDE-FREE ESTABLISHMENT OF SHORT ROTATION AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS WITH
DIFFERENT TREE SPECIES - RESULTS FROM AN ORGANIC FIELD TRIAL IN BAVARIA ....................... 137
SESSION AGROFORESTRY AND CLIMATE CHANGE ....................................... 140
CARBON SEQUESTRATION IN INTENSIVE HARDWOOD PLANTATIONS: INFLUENCE OF MANAGEMENT
........................................................................................................................................................................ 141
MICROCLIMATIC EFFECT OF AGROFORESTRY ON DIURNAL TEMPERATURE CYCLE ........................ 145
EFFECT OF SHADE ON TEMPERATURE MITIGATION AND CANOPY ASSIMILATION OF COFFEE
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ........................................................................................................................ 149
MICROCLIMATE PATTERNS IN AN AGROFORESTRY INTERCROPPED VINEYARD: FIRST RESULTS . 153
FROM ANCIENT OLIVE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS TO MODERN CONVENTIONAL AND ORGANIC
OLIVE MONOCULTURES: HISTORICAL EVOLUTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS .................... 157
INCREASE OF SOIL ORGANIC CARBON STOCK UNDER AGROFORESTRY: A SURVEY OF DIFFERENT
SITES IN FRANCE .......................................................................................................................................... 160
AGROFORESTRY AS TOOL TO MITIGATE AND ADAPT TO CLIMATE UNDER LULUCF ACCOUNTING . 163
TREE-BASED INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS: A POTENTIAL LAND-USE SOLUTION FOR CLIMATE
CHANGE MITIGATION IN CANADIAN AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPES ...................................................... 166
CROPPING AMONG TREES TO COPE WITH CLIMATE CHANGE. INSIGHTS FROM CEREAL CULTIVATED
IN WALNUT PLANTATIONS OF CENTRAL SPAIN ........................................................................................ 170
SHELTERBELT AS A BEST PRACTICE OF IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION ........................ 174
ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE CONCERNS IN TROPICAL AGROFORESTRY .................................... 176
LOCAL PERCEPTIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND ADAPTATION STRATEGIES IN THE MANAGEMENT
OF SENEGALIA SENEGAL PARKS IN NIGER .............................................................................................. 180
INITIAL SOIL CARBON SEQUESTRATION UNDER MONO CULTURES AND SHORT ROTATION ALLEY
COPPICES WITH POPLAR AND WILLOW .................................................................................................... 184
LINKING ABOVE - AND BELOWGROUND PHENOLOGY OF HYBRID WALNUT IN TEMPERATE
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ........................................................................................................................ 188
SESSION FARMERS’ TESTIMONIES ACROSS EUROPE ................................... 192
IMPORTANCE OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICES FROM AGROFORESTRY FOR LOCAL PEOPLE ................. 193
COMPLEXITY AND AGROFORESTRY: WAYS TO EMBRACE THE CHALLENGE ..................................... 196
IMPLEMENTATION OF AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES FOR THE RECOVERY OF DEGRADED SOILS IN
SEMI-ARID AREAS OF SOUTHERN EUROPE: CASE STUDY OF LIFE OPERATION CO PROJECT, AYOÓ
2
DE VIDRIALES (SPAIN) .................................................................................................................................. 199
UNDERSTANDING THE ACCEPTANCE OR REFUSAL OF AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS BY FARMERS IN
THE NORD –PAS-DE-CALAIS REGION (NORTHERN FRANCE) ................................................................. 203
PARTICIPATORY AGROFORESTRY DEVELOPMENT IN SWITZERLAND .................................................. 207
INVENTORY OF AGROFORESTRY IN CZECH REPUBLIC .......................................................................... 211
AN EXAMPLE OF VIRTUOUS CIRCLE BETWEEN THE EXPLOITATION OF BOXWOOD AND AN ORGANIC
HOG FARM ..................................................................................................................................................... 214
AGROFORESTRY DEMO PROJECTS IN VENETO AGRICOLTURA’S PILOT FARMS AND CENTRES ..... 217
THE LACK OF A CLEAR DEFINITION OF AGROFORESTRY HINDERS ITS ACCEPTANCE IN GERMANY
........................................................................................................................................................................ 221
TESTIMONY OF PIERRE PUJOS, FARMER IN GERS (SOUTH-WEST OF FRANCE) ................................. 225
TESTIMONY OF ANDREW COCUP ............................................................................................................... 226
SESSION QUANTITY, QUALITY AND DIVERSITY OF AGROFORESTRY
PRODUCTS ........................................................................................................... 228
OLIVE (OLEA EUROPEA L.) AND WILD ASPARAGUS (ASPARAGUS ACUTIFOLIUS L.) AGROFORESTRY
SYSTEM: ASPARAGUS PERFORMANCE AND ITS BEST POSITIONING IN THE OLIVE ORCHARD ........ 229
INTER-SPECIFIC INTERACTIONS ON THE LIGHT, WATER AND NITROGEN AVAILABILITY IN A YOUNG
POPLAR SILVOARABLE SYSTEM ................................................................................................................. 232
THE QUALITY OF POPLAR WOOD FROM AGROFORESTRY: A COMPARISON WITH FOREST
PLANTATION .................................................................................................................................................. 236
AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS OF HIGH NATURAL AND CULTURAL VALUE IN EUROPE: STRUCTURE,
MANAGEMENT, GOODS AND SERVICES .................................................................................................... 240
SUGAR BEET YIELDS AND SOIL MOISTURE MEASUREMENTS IN AN ALLEY CROPPING SYSTEM ..... 244
OLIVE TREES INTERCROPPED WITH CEREALS AND LEGUMES IN KASSANDRA PENINSULA,
NORTHERN GREECE .................................................................................................................................... 248
OLIVE GROVES INTERCROPPED IN MOLOS, CENTRAL GREECE ........................................................... 251
RELATIVE CROP YIELDS OF EUROPEAN SILVOARABLE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS ......................... 254
GROWTH AND YIELD RESULTS OF TIMBER TREES MIXED WITH POPLAR SRC: 9 YEARS OF AN
EXPERIMENTAL PLOT IN THE PO VALLEY ................................................................................................. 257
AGROFORESTRY AND WOODFUEL PRODUCTION: SOME DATA FROM AGROFORESTRY-SYSTEMS IN
AFRICA ........................................................................................................................................................... 260
SESSION TREE-CROP COMPETITION AND FACILITATION .............................. 263
DEALING WITH CROP ROTATION IN AGROFORESTRY: THE IMPACT OF SHADE ON WINTER WHEAT
AND SUGAR BEET GROWTH AND YIELD UNDER BELGIUM CONDITIONS .............................................. 264
OPTIMIZATION OF RAIN-FED INTERCROPPING SYSTEM BASED ON OLIVE TREES AND ANNUAL
CROPS IN NORTHERN MOROCCO .............................................................................................................. 267
INFLUENCE OF TREE POLLARDING ON CROP YIELD IN A MEDITERRANEAN AGROFORESTRY
SYSTEM .......................................................................................................................................................... 271
THE GROWTH OF WILD CHERRY (PRUNUS AVIUM L.) VARIETIES INTERPLANTED WITH WILLOW
(SALIX SPP.) ................................................................................................................................................... 274
ECOLOGICAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN TREE, CROP, SOIL AND ENVIRONMENT IN ALLEY CROPPING
SYSTEMS IN FLANDERS ............................................................................................................................... 277
EFFECT OF AGROFORESTRY ON PHENOLOGY AND COMPONENTS OF YIELD OF DIFFERENT
VARIETIES OF DURUM WHEAT .................................................................................................................... 279
MICROCLIMATE EFFECTS OF SHORT ROTATION TREE-STRIPS IN GERMANY ..................................... 283
INTERACTIVE EFFECT OF TREE CANOPY COVER AND DEFOLIATION ON GROWTH OF FESTUCA
PALLESCENS IN MEDITERRANEAN SILVOPASTORAL SYSTEMS IN NW PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA .... 287
DEVELOPING AGROFORESTRY-ADAPTED CEREALS USING AN EVOLUTIONARY PLANT BREEDING
APPROACH .................................................................................................................................................... 290
SPATIAL SOIL FERTILITY GRADIENT IN A MATURE AGROFORESTRY SYSTEM UNDER A
MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE ......................................................................................................................... 293
TRAIN THE YOUTH! EFFECT OF WATER STRESS AND INTERCROPPING ON PEACH TREE GROWTH
AFTER PLANTATION ..................................................................................................................................... 296
INFLUENCE OF THE SHEA BUTTER TREE ON AGRICULTURAL YIELDS IN NORTHERN IVORY COAST
........................................................................................................................................................................ 299
INFLUENCE OF FAIHERBIA ALBIDA ON UPLAND RICE PRODUCTIVITY .................................................. 302
SESSION AGROFORESTRY MODELLING ........................................................... 306
MODELLING HOLM OAK ACORN PRODUCTION IN SOUTH-WESTERN IBERIA ....................................... 307
USING THE YIELD-SAFE MODEL TO ASSESS HYPOTHETICAL EUCALYPTUS SILVOPASTORAL
SYSTEMS IN PORTUGAL .............................................................................................................................. 311
ARE CROP MODELS ABLE TO SIMULATE CROP GROWTH UNDER SHADE? ......................................... 315
KEEPING A PARAMETER-SPARSE CONCEPT IN AGROFORESTRY MODELING WHILE INTEGRATING
NEW PROCESSES AND DYNAMICS: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN YIELD-SAFE ......................................... 318
AGROFORESTRY AT ALL LATITUDES? UNEXPECTED RESULTS ABOUT BEST DESIGNS TO ALLOW
MORE LIGHT TO THE CROPS AT VARIOUS LATITUDES ........................................................................... 322
ASSESSING THE ENVIRONMENTAL EXTERNALITIES OF ARABLE, FORESTRY, AND SILVOARABLE
SYSTEMS: NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN FARM-SAFE..................................................................................... 326
SESSION HOW TO ASSESS THE PERFORMANCE OF AGROFORESTRY
SYSTEMS? ............................................................................................................ 330
LANDSCAPE METRICS CALCULATION TO OPTIMIZE THE AESTHETICS OF FUTURE AGROFORESTRY
SYSTEMS AND ITS APPLICATION WITHIN A DECISION SUPPORT TOOL ............................................... 331
A GUIDANCE TOOL TO SUPPORT FARMERS WITH ECOLOGICAL FOCUS AREAS – THE BENEFITS OF
AGROFORESTRY FOR ECOSTYSTEM SERVICES AND BIODIVERSITY ................................................... 335
SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT CRITERIA FOR AGROFORESTRY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION .............. 338
MODERN AGROFORESTRY IN SWITZERLAND: THE PERCEPTION GAP OF ITS CONTRIBUTION TO
SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT .................................................................................................................... 342
INTEGRATING AGROFORESTRY INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS IN INTENSIVE AGRICULTURAL
LANDSCAPES: A SWOT-AHP ANALYSIS OF STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTIONS ...................................... 346
NURTURING AGROFORESTRY SYSTEMS IN FLANDERS: AN AGRICULTURAL INNOVATION SYSTEM
APPROACH .................................................................................................................................................... 350
TERAFOR: DEXI-BASED MULTICRITERIA MODEL FOR CONSIDERING ALL MULTIPLE FONCTIONS OF
TREE FORMATIONS IN TEMPERATE AGROFORESTRY AREAS ............................................................... 354
SESSION SILVOPASTORALISM ........................................................................... 358
INTEGRATING AGROFORESTRY INTO AN INNOVATIVE MIXED CROP-DAIRY SYSTEM ........................ 359
WHEN CHICKENS GRAZE IN OLIVE ORCHARDS, THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT OF BOTH CHICKEN
REARING AND OLIVE GROWING DECREASES .......................................................................................... 362
YIELD AND NUTRITIVE VALUE OF ALFALFA (Medicago sativa L.) IN AN OLIVE (Olea europaea L.) ALLEY-
CROPPING PRACTICE .................................................................................................................................. 365
FORGOTTEN FOOD – TREE HAY ................................................................................................................. 369
NUTRITIVE VALUE AND DEGRADABILITY OF LEAVES FROM TEMPERATE WOODY RESOURCES FOR
FEEDING RUMINANTS IN SUMMER ............................................................................................................. 372
CROP-CATTLE-TREE INTEGRATION IN RORAIMA STATE, BRAZILIAN AMAZON ................................... 376
FLOODPLAIN FOREST GRAZING MANAGEMENT: PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE ................................ 379
QUALITY OF APPLE TREES AND APPLES IN POULTRY FREE RANGE AREAS ....................................... 382
SESSION UPDATES ON AGROFORESTRY POLICIES ACROSS EUROPE ....... 386
OPTIONS FOR AGROFORESTRY IN THE CAP 2014-2020 .......................................................................... 387
CAP AND AGROFORESTRY PRACTICES IN EUROPE ................................................................................ 391
AGROFORESTRY IN THE CAP: ELIGIBILITY ............................................................................................... 394
AGROFORESTRY IN THE CAP: CROSS-COMPLIANCE OR CONDITIONALITY .... Erreur ! Signet non défini.
AGROFORESTRY IN THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT CAP: PILLAR II ........................................................... 399
AGROFORESTRY IN POLAND – THE CURRENT STATE AND POLICY PERSPECTIVES ......................... 403
AGROFORESTRY AND GOOD GOVERNANCE: A COMPARISON OF THE AGROFORESTRY POLICY
FRAMEWORKS IN THE EU AND THE USA ................................................................................................... 406
SESSION DEVELOPMENT OF
AGROFORESTRY IN EUROPE (AND BEYOND):
FARMERS’ PERCEPTIONS, BARRIERS AND
INCENTIVES
3rd European Agroforestry Conference – Montpellier, 23-25 May 2016
Development of agroforestry across Europe (and beyond): farmers’ perceptions, barriers and
incentives (oral) Abstract number 134

DRIVERS OF SWISS AGROFORESTRY IT’S NOT ALL
ABOUT MONEY

Sereke F1*, Graves AR2, Herzog F3

* Correspondence author: [email protected]

(1) School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences, Zollikofen, Switzerland. (2) Natural Resources Management
Institute, Cranfield University, UK. (3) Agroscope, Institute of Sustainability Science, Zürich, Switzerland.

Introduction
Agroforestry has a long history in Switzerland and it was widespread until the 1950s. Since
then, 80% of the fruit trees were felled in the agricultural landscapes, to make way for modern
agriculture. Today, as in other countries (Smith, 2010), efforts are being made to convince
farmers to restore multifunctional farm trees. In Switzerland, direct payments for farmland trees
have tripled since the 1990s, but modern farmers are still not convinced. Hence, the hypothesis
of this study is that there may be non-monetary barriers (i.e. opportunities for development)
towards maintaining or adopting agroforestry. A transdisciplinary case study was conducted, to
explore the following research questions: How productive and profitable is agroforestry in
Switzerland? What are the key drivers of farmers’ behavior towards practicing agroforestry?

Material and methods
First, an exploratory survey of farmers’ innovations in Switzerland was conducted together with
a literature review and expert consultation. Based on the survey, 14 representative agroforestry
practices were identified, centered around walnut (Juglans hybr.) and wild cherry (Prunus
avium) on crop- and grassland. Bio-economic simulations of long-term yields were conducted
with the Yield-SAFE model (van der Werf et al. 2007); followed by an assessment of profitability
using the Farm-SAFE model (Graves et al. 2007). The method and detailed results of this part
of the study were published in Sereke et al. (2015a). To understand the drivers of farmers’
behavior we developed a semi-quantitative and open ended questionnaire, and interviewed 50
farmers. The questionnaire was prepared using psychological variables according to the Theory
of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1985), as well as variables related to ecosystem services
according to McAdam et al. (2009). More details of this part of the study were published in
Sereke et al. (2015b).

Results & discussion
Productivity: Of the 14 simulated agroforestry options, 12 had land equivalent ratios (LERs)
greater than 1 (0.95–1.30), indicating that the trees and intercrops of most of the agroforestry
options were more productive when grown together than separately. The LER was
systematically higher for the cherry systems, timber options, and high tree densities (Sereke et
al. 2015a).

Figure 1: Land equivalent ratio (LER) for the wild cherry and walnut based agroforestry
practices. For the tree-crop combinations timber-arable (TA), fruit-arable (FA), timber-grassland
(TG) and fruit-grassland (FG) with 40/70 trees/ha. Source: Sereke et al. (2015a)

Profitability: 68 % of the 56 financial scenarios for the agroforestry practices, particularly those
linked to innovative marketing of fruit or receiving payments for ecosystem services, were found
to be more profitable than the business as usual reference systems (Sereke et al. 2015a).
9
3rd European Agroforestry Conference – Montpellier, 23-25 May 2016
Development of agroforestry across Europe (and beyond): farmers’ perceptions, barriers and
incentives (oral) Abstract number 134

However, if farmers want to benefit from high ecological direct-payments (45 SFr tree−1) they
must be willing to participate in the agro-ecological programs. But this motivation, seems not to
be very high (Table 1).

Drivers of farmers’ behaviour: In the following assessment (Table 1), adopters and non-
adopters were studied separately, to identify variables which motivate (scores > 4) or
discourage (scores < 4) adoption (Sereke et al. 2015b).
Almost half of the 50 farmers (24 “non-adopters”) were clear in their intention not to engage in
agroforestry (average score of 2.0); their score significantly differed from a score of 4.9 by
adopters (p<001).
Both adopters and non-adopters were convinced that agroforestry is not productive compared
to monoculture. Their evaluation contrasts with recent scientific evidence from Switzerland
(Figure 1) and other temperate regions of Europe (Graves et al., 2007).
Non-adopters attributed significantly lower scores to perceived behavioural control (confidence
to manage agroforestry).
Most farmers did not share the view that agroforestry can provide key ecological regulation
services. This is again in contrast to scientific assessments, for example regarding climate
regulation or soil and groundwater protection (Montagnini and Nair, 2004; Palma et al., 2007).
With regard to motivations for adoption, most farmers gave highest scores to habitat ecosystem
services, both for their livestock as well as for wildlife.
Most farmers did not expect agroforestry to be a profitable activity. This may be explained by
the current low fruit prices in Switzerland. Most farmers also did not view payments for
ecosystem services as a motivation: “Ecological grants are only for lazy farmers, we want to
produce food”.
Our findings indicate that rather than just increasing direct-payments, restoring the market for
fruits could motivate farmers to plant trees. The results also identified opposing views between
science and real world practice.

Table 1: Variables motivating or discouraging adoption: Intention, attitude, perceived
behavioural control, ecosystem services and economic benefits. Source: Sereke et al. (2015b)
Adopters Non-adopters All Farmers
M SD M SD M SD
Intention 4.9 0.7 2.0*** 0.7 3.5 1.6
Attitude (Productivity) 3.0 0.7 2.0*** 0.7 2.5 1.0
Perceived behavioral control 3.8 1.2 2.4*** 1.3 3.2 1.3
Ecosystem services:
Production 4.5 1.2 3.9 1.5 4.2 1.4
Regulation Soil 3.7 1.4 3.4 1.2 3.6 1.3
Water 3.3 1.3 3.2 1.2 3.3 1.2
Climate 3.1 1.5 3.0 1.3 3.1 1.4
Habitat Shelter 5.0 1.0 4.5 1.3 4.8 1.2
Biodiversity 5.0 0.8 4.5 1.2 4.8 1.0
Cultural landscape 4.7 0.8 3.8** 1.4 4.3 1.2
Economic motivations:
Profitability of tree products 3.0 1.2 2.3* 1.3 2.6 1.3
Payments for ecosystem services 3.6 1.4 3.2 1.2 3.4 1.3
Farmers were asked whether they plan to engage in agroforestry (intention), about their attitudes (here the
example of productivity), and their perceived behavioural control (confidence to manage agroforestry).
Farmers were also asked whether the listed ecosystem services and economic variables represent
potential motivations to practice agroforestry. Mean scores and standard deviations across samples:
Farmers all (n=50), adopters (n=26) and non-adopters (n=24). Mean comparisons were made for all data,
only statistical significances are indicated (2 sample T test). The scoring range is from 1 (I totally
disagree/very low) to 6 (I totally agree/very high). * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, ***p < 0.001

Non-adopters’ behaviour seemed to be more oriented towards meeting the expectation of their
conventional farming colleagues, rather than towards meeting the expectations of society.
Farmers resisting adoption concluded that practising agroforestry would not have a positive
impact on their reputation (Table 2).

10