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 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).
As part of the National Rural Network program (www.reterurale.it), a study visit was organized at some agroforestry Tuscan farms that participated in the project 'NEWTON– NEtWork project for agroforestry in Tuscany', financed by the PSR sub-measures 1.1 and 1.2 of the Tuscany Region. The project studied 2 particularly interesting silvopastoral systems:
a) The Paganico estate, in the heart of the Tuscan Maremma, a few kilometers from Grosseto, covers an area of 1,500 hectares divided into woods, pastures, olive groves and vineyards immersed in nature rich in wildlife such as roe deer, hares and porcupines. The heart of the estate is the extensive organic breeding in the wild in pastures and Turkey oak woods (Quercus cerris L.) of Maremma cattle and Cinta Senese breed pigs.
b) The Pietratonda Company, conducted in organic farming, has about 100 ha of arable land cultivated with cereals and fodder, and 100 ha of wooded pastures, of which 35 ha are cork oaks (Quercus suber L.). Traditionally used for the breeding of AUBRAC breed beef cows in the wild and stall.
