The Malopolska Agricultural Chamber (Poland), together with its partner, the Malopolska Agricultural Advisory Centre based in Karniowice, organised a 3-day study tour to south-eastern Malopolska region and the Podkarpackie Voivodeship on 20-22 June 2022. The training was held under the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development: Europe investing in rural areas Managing Authority of the Rural Development Programme 2014-2020. The main objective of the study tour was to exchange knowledge and support farmers in promoting agro-forestry systems. The training course was attended by 40 participants: representatives of the project, MIR and MODR, and farmers from the Malopolska Region.
A project undertaken by the Agricultural Advisory Centre in Brwinów (Poland) as part of the 2020-2022 Operational Plan for the Network for Innovation in Agriculture entitled 'Agroforestry - an opportunity for crop biodiversity'. The aim of the operation was to transfer knowledge and information on innovative solutions in agriculture and rural areas in the field of agroforestry and to disseminate good practices.
A group of farmers and agroforestry advisors from the Mazowieckie Voivodeship and OSA representatives participated in the trip to agroforestry farms on May 22-25th, 2023. Many of the participants of the trip encountered modern forms of alley agroforestry for the first time. The meeting provided valuable information on the topic of good and innovative agroforestry practices. The trip was funded within the framework of the 2022-2023 operational plan of the National Rural Network for the Network for Innovation in Agriculture and Rural Areas (SIR).
Grzegorz Ciechomski practices regenerative agriculture at La Fuente Farm. The goal is to restore the natural fertility of the soil that has been lost through conventional farming. He farms in very difficult environmental conditions. The soils are low in nutrients and have poor water retention. Precipitation in this region of Poland is very low. However, through years of practice he has managed to develop ingenious methods of dealing with the difficulties. He maintains a large collection of fruit trees in an orchard where he grazes sheep and poultry. The various animal and plant species have their own well-defined functions and complement each other to create a well-functioning ecosystem. Despite the poor soils, the plants are well nourished and the animals are kept in decent conditions. This assures high-quality food products that contribute to the farm's considerable self-sufficiency.
From 2023, support for the set-up and maintenance of agro-forestry systems will be granted under the Strategic Plan 2023-2027 (SP 2023-2027). This is a new type of support, not previously implemented in Poland, under the CAP. Arable land and permanent grassland outside protected areas on which an agroforestry system will be established will be eligible for support. At least 3 different species of trees or shrubs are required. Trees must be planted in row on arable land, while other planting structures are allowed on pasture. It is necessary to plant between 150 and 250 trees or shrubs per ha. Trees or shrubs in the agroforestry system must be protected from damage. The amount of support varies depending on the agrotechnology adopted and ranges from €681/ha - favourable establishment conditions, minimum protection of plantings, to €1168/ha - unfavourable establishment conditions, maximum protection of plantings. In addition, the farmer will receive €63/ha every year for five years for the maintenance of the agroforestry system. Trees can already be planted this spring, while applications for support can be submitted from 1 June to 31 July.
Recent years have seen drastic changes in the structure of Polish agriculture. More than one million farms have disappeared and the main production focus has changed. The share of farms with animal production and mixed production has decreased significantly. Livestock-free farms now dominate, accounting for more than half of all farms in Poland. This is due to the low profitability of animal husbandry in agriculture and the high labour input. Livestock production has withdrawn particularly from small farms. The consequence of this process is a decrease in the organic matter content of soils, a negative balance of plant nutrients and a reduction in crop diversity with a pronounced dominance of cereals. Non-livestock farms are attempting to compensate by growing intercrops and leaving crop residues in the field. However, domesticated animals were also important in the use of perennial forage crops and permanent grassland important for CO2 sequestration.
On 17 November 2022, at the scientific meeting of the Polish Agronomic Society and the Polish Agroforestry Association, Dr Robert Borek from the Department of Bioeconomy and Systems Analysis(IUNG-PIB), president of the Polish Agroforestry Association (OSA), gave a lecture on ''Agroforestry - a new direction of production in agriculture''. The meeting was attended by academics of the Faculty of Agroforestry and students of agroforestry, agriculture and agribusiness.
The EURONEWS channel showed a short film on the development of agroforestry in Poland. Farmers practicing agroforestry are mainly motivated by environmental concerns, however they are also able to obtain additional products and potential profit. The newly created support instruments of the Common Agricultural Policy are also of great importance. Experts see major opportunities in mitigating the effects of climate change and protecting biodiversity through agroforestry practices.
In this vlog, American filmmaker Jonathan Ramsey meets Lukasz Nowacki, one of few permaculture farmers in Poland. Located on the outskirts of the tiny village of Gapinin in the Lodz Voivodeship, Lukasz's farm - dubbed Valley of the Mists - is in an area with badly eroded soils and huge drought problems, making it one of the most challenging permaculture sites in Poland. Using compost and various smart agroforestry methods since 2013, Lukasz has been transforming this sandy, barren soil into an oasis of resilience and regeneration.
Anna Szumelda from FSK Juchowo, and Jarek Stalenga and Pawel Radzikowski from IUNG-PIB, Poland, present the innovation study on impact of hedgerows in organic mixed systems. This innovation study in Juchowo (western Poland) aims to examine the impact of tree strips of different age, species and architecture on the crop yields and selected environmental parameters such as soil temperature and moisture, earthworm density and insect biodiversity. The study is one of the four innovations studies in the EU Horizon2020 project MIXED focused on mixed farming and agroforestry systems
