Agroforestry is a land management practice that combines cultivation and farming systems with trees and shrubs. It can include agricultural hedges, parks and wooded pastures, but also innovative systems, such as contour planting and forestry cultivation. This approach offers many benefits for both farmers and nature, but it has yet to realize its full potential. Agroforestry systems bring a number of advantages:
- improve farm productivity
- increase wildlife
- improve soil health
- increase the welfare of livestock
- manage the flow of water
- contribute to the mitigation of climate change
Farmers can increase their herd performance, improve animal health and welfare, and ultimately increase farm profitability. From the point of view of nature and the environment, it is essential that agriculture plays a role in addressing climatic and natural emergencies because agricultural land covers 72% of our countryside.
Agroforestry can be part of the solution and at the same time support sustainable food production.