Ageoforestry, here we are! 🌳 Wageningen University & Research
#climateadaptation 🌦 Meet our scientists! Today we introduce Andrew Dawson, project leader at AGROMIX Project, working on international climate-adaptive agricultural systems. 🌳 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭? The 28 partners of AGROMIX are investigating whether mixed #agriculture and #agroforestry can be used to make farming healthy, resilient and able to cope with the effects of climate change. WUR has a leading role in the co-design and tool development for practitioners, working closely together with Landfiles. ☀ 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐱 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐩𝐢𝐥𝐨𝐭𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐄𝐔. 𝐂𝐚𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐞𝐱𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞? 𝐖𝐡𝐲 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡? In Italy we have been exploring the various benefits that agroforestry can provide in relation to climate adaption. Trees can provide additional fodder for animals in the dry season, because they remain green when grasses have died off due to the heat. They can also have a positive effect on erosion control on hill sides: the tree canopy protects the soil from rainfall, the roots help bind the soil together and, with good design, rainwater infiltration is also supported. 💡 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡? In the Netherlands we could do more to explore the optimal design of agroforestry systems, in order to support landscape resilience and provide various goods under the conditions of climate change. Good systems can increase #biodiversity and production for farmers and improve the welfare of animals and the quality of life of local people. There is great potential in the Netherlands; we just need to put it into practice. 🌍 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐧 𝐄𝐔-𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥, 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬? We have similar challenges. Despite their huge potential to contribute to climate resilience and mitigation, biodiversity, food production and healthy diets there is currently very little investment in agroforestry systems. There is still a great deal of knowledge to be gained. Combining experience, innovation and funds can support the more rapid development and realisation of these systems. 🍑 𝐈𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨 𝐥𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞? To know the optimal spatial design of agroforestry systems for both arable, pasture and tree crop growth and production in different climate conditions would be very valuable. Also, given climate change, we must adapt not only the cultivars, but also the species we grow. In 30 years, will we be growing apples and pears, or almonds and peaches? It may sound strange, but these are plausible developments and it would be better to start exploring the opportunities now. 📸 by Jacopo Goracci at the Tenuta di Paganico Soc. Agr. SpA.