Three days fully packed with agroforestry policy issues: "Agroforestry and the Green Architecture of the New CAP" took place between the 16th and 18th of November 2020, kindly hosted by the yearly initiative "Inauguration of the Forestry Year" of the Sardinia Region, Italy.
The three-day webinar organized by the EURAF 2020 Local Organizing Committee of Sardinia (C.O.L.Sar) in close cooperation with the EURAF2020 National Organizing Committee, and in collaboration with AIAF (the Italian Agroforestry Association) and EURAF (the European Agroforestry Federation) - has been the pre-event to the 5° European Agroforestry Conference, EURAF2020 (17th-19th of May 2021).
The first day of the meeting was dedicated to the opening ceremony and to a focus on Sardinian forestry and agroforestry while the second and third days had been planned to deepen agroforestry policy issues related to the development of the new CAP.
The second day, the state of the art of the implementation of 2014-2020 RDP sub-measure 8.2 was highlighted with communications from both Northern and Southern European regions. Representatives of Regional and National institutions of Ireland, Hungary, Flanders, France, Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece, reported on the strengths and weaknesses of the sub-measure 8.2 implementation in their countries.
The third day of the webinar was the opportunity to discuss about the future of Agroforestry Policy together with several representatives of European institutions (DGAgri, DGClima and DGEnvi) and important professional and environmental organizations and research projects.
At the final presentation a SWOT analysis from the content of the three-day meeting was presented, summarizing the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of agroforestry in European policy.
Three themes emerged from the presentations, that further outline the concepts andd necessities of agroforestry policy in Europe :
Complementarity. It is time to bridge the separation between agriculture and environment. Pillar I and Pillar II of the CAP need to be complementary enhancing conditionality, eco-schemes and agri-environmental measures and eligibility is key to achieve that. Short-term returns & Long-term support must be considered in a complementary way: the application of the concept can be summarized in the indication “to grow trees and not just planting them!”
Interaction. Relationships need to be fostered at different levels. Research and practice must interact more through living labs and the creation of partnerships. Interaction must be strengthened among stakeholders.
Dialogue. In order to support interaction, dialogue must also be encouraged through the knowledge transfer, advisory services and education. Member States have a key role. Is there enough alignment between the new CAP and the Green Deal targets?
Read the detailed report now!
See you next May!