March 2012
Agroforestry in Europe
Agroforestry is the integration of trees, crops and/or livestock on the same area of land. Trees can be inside parcels or on the boundaries (hedges). Agroforestry can be applied to all agricultural systems, in all parts of Europe. Agroforestry Systems are obtained by planting trees on agricultural land or introducing agriculture in existing woodland (eg silvopasture). Europe has a unique heritage of traditional agroforestry systems with a high environmental and cultural value, and Europe has a high potential for innovative modern agroforestry systems developed by research centers across Europe during the last two decades.
Agroforestry and the CAP
Agroforestry practices have been overlooked by previous CAP schemes, resulting in billions of trees being destroyed across Europe. Recently, incentives for establishing AF plots have been introduced, but conflicts between pillar 1 and pillar 2 rules have prevented European farmers to establish or maintain agroforestry systems.
Agroforestry – A sustainable land use for the future of Europe
Agroforestry is a beneficial system leading to a low Carbon and high biomass productive agriculture. It provides many ecosystem services while maintaining high productivity for the farmer. It is a win-win option for farmers and conservationists. Specific ecosystem services include carbon lock up, flood mitigation, reduction of diffuse pollution and soil erosion, protection of crops and livestock against climatic hazards due to climate change, synergetic production of crops and tree products, integrated habitat network and high biodiversity value, optimized crop protection due to self-regulation of pests and diseases in mosaic environments, landscape amenities supporting tourism and wild game.
Agroforestry in the next CAP scheme : our proposals
Agroforestry will contribute to the greening of the CAP.
Pillar 1
Agroforestry systems should be supported under Pillar 1 payments as an eligible land use. Member states will be responsible for establishing minimum and maximum tree numbers or cover/ha to meet local specificities (including hedges width). EURAF suggests therefore appropriate modifications to the draft Council Regulation 2011/0280 and 2011/0282. This will simplify monitoring and controls (no more need to exclude rural trees from pillar 1 payments). Agroforestry could be an eligible land use under the proposed ecological focus areas. A simple system to calculate the environmental benefits of agroforestry systems on a farm is available and could be used in the first pillar as an eco-conditionnality criterion.
Pillar 2
Pillar 2 payments should support the establishment of Agroforestry systems on both agricultural and woody land (in compliance with legal rules for land and forest protection). Maintenance costs of newly planted agroforestry systems should be covered for a period of 10 years.