Modern agroforestry systems are becoming more and more established in Switzerland. Consultants are increasingly confronted with this new cultivation system. The short seminar allowed for discussing the most pressing difficulties in agroforestry consulting.
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.
At the Tenuta di Paganico, in Paganico (Grosseto), Italy, from 03 to 07 October 2022 the Agroforestry School will be held: Agro silviculture and forestation in Tuscany - Agroselvicoltural and agro-forestry in Tuscany - Innovative system for agricultural intensification sustainable. Certifications: what they are, what they are for, how to get them.The couse include classroom sessions and field visits with leading Italian agroforestry experts
The participation will be in presence at the estate, but free of charge.
These videos cover agroecology aspects such as: what is agroecology and how it can be used to achieve climate, environment and biodiversity commitments of the Green Deal while also meeting the Farm to Fork Strategy’s objectives; how agroecology main concepts and applications can be integrated in future programmes.
This Permaculture Design Course hosted by Kausay Community includes over eighty hours of classes on Permaculture taught by four permaculturists. The two-week-long program covers the history of permaculture, soil health, water use, plants (including agroforestry), food production, and more topics. Kausay Community is an environmentally-focused community that exemplifies environmental stewardship and living in harmony with nature. The course spans from June 11 to June 26 of 2022.
This year, for the first time, DeFAF e.V. is offering extensive training on agroforestry for farmers and consultants. The two annual courses take place within the framework of the Agroforestry Academy, which is to be developed in the long term as a recognized educational center for topics related to agroforestry. Registration for the courses is possible from 7 February 2022.
As a climate-adapted and sustainable form of land use, agroforestry is receiving increasing attention in politics and society – from 2023, agroforestry systems will be eligible for funding via agricultural policy and the increasing interest in the establishment of new agroforestry systems is already evident. With the Agroforestry Academy, an offer is now being created with which agricultural practitioners and consultants can acquire the knowledge for the planning and management of agroforestry systems in a practical manner. In addition to theoretical basics, the courses convey practical knowledge on topics such as planting techniques, woody species selection and concrete planning methods. The content is partly conveyed in the form of online seminars as well as on several face-to-face dates at a total of three different locations in Germany. In addition, especially in the agroforestry planning course, concrete tasks must be prepared in self-study and presented in the group. For the most direct practical relevance possible, both courses are linked to each other: on two dates, both course groups come together and the operating areas of the participating practitioners can serve as practical case studies in the course for the consultants. The number of participants per course is limited to 15.
The participants of the agroforestry practical course receive a certificate of participation after completion of the training. In the agroforestry planning course, the participants conclude the training with the presentation of their own agroforestry project, which is reviewed by an expert committee. Upon successful completion, a course certificate will be issued by DeFAF e.V.
The industrialisation of agricultural activity has had a great impact on the environment and society the world over. In Europe the result has been a profound degradation of natural resources, the landscape and rational agricultural ecosystems, along with a decline in farming's social and economic importance, which has led in turn to a decline in rural communities. These tendencies have not been reversed in the last decades by corrective policies on agriculture and rural development, focusing on post-productivism and the multifunctionality of agriculture.
In November and December 2021, a series of open training courses for farmers from the Małopolska region (Southern Poland) took place. The trainings were conducted by Marcin Wójcik, an innovative farmer and educator. The training program consisted of lectures:
Introduction to the issue of water management on a farm (November 22, 2021),
Agro-forestry and tree cover (November 25, 2021),
Protection of soil and crops (November 29, 2021),
Humus as the source of life (December 02, 2021)
Intensive rotational grazing (December 06, 2021).
As the multitude of benefits of integrating trees into farming are becoming better understood and to match the surge in interest of agroforestry in the UK, the Soil Association have developed a selection of resources to help farmers and land managers plan, plant and manage trees within their own particular farm system and have developed this short online course. It is all about agroforestry and farm woodlands in practice - increasing understanding of how to get started, and giving farmers the confidence to take the first steps. Via the link you can find out what it is expected you will understand by the end of the course, what the course consists of, and what you will need to complete the course. Case studies and video clips bring the experiences of farmers to life as they discuss how agroforestry and farm woodlands have worked for them, providing learners with practical, real-world examples and advice. You can also sign up to the course via the link.
