A professional seminar was held on 20 November near the Moravian city of Brno. Its aim was to inform participants about the possibilities to develop agroforestry in the Czech Republic.
The agenda of the seminar consisted mainly of the outcomes of a research project (Agroforestry - A Chance for Regional Development and Sustainability of the Rural Landscape), which is the first project to address the issue of agroforestry in Czechia. Lectures, the leading experts dealing with agroforestry, were presented at the seminar.
Increased attention was paid to issues of legislative gaps of agroforestry. On this issue, a working group was established at the Ministry of Agriculture with strong participation of Czech Association for Agroforestry, which seeks to find a suitable system of finantial support for the establishment of agroforestry systems in the country trough Rural Development Programmes.
Part of the seminar was also field excursion, during which the participants could get acquainted with the newly established permanent research-demonstration area of the modern agroforestry system, which was established on the grounds of Mendel University. The area has the character of alley-croping, where poplar and black walnut will be intercrop with traditional field crops.
The seminar was attended by about 80 participants including local agricultural and forestry experts, as well as farmers interested in this type of farming. Representatives from neighboring Slovakia were also present at the conference.
