AGFORWARD (AGroFORestry that Will Advance Rural Development) is a four-year research project funded by the European Union’s Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7). It started in January 2014 and will continue until December 2017.

The project builds on existing agroforestry experiments, current on-farm agroforestry trials, and previous research projects such as “Silvoarable Agroforestry For Europe (SAFE)”. The European Agroforestry Federation is a partner. The start of the project coincides with the launch of EU Rural Development Regulations that can support the establishment of agroforestry systems.

What is agroforestry?

Agroforestry is the practice of deliberately integrating woody vegetation (trees or shrubs) with crop and/or animal systems to benefit from the resulting ecological and economic interactions.

Existing research indicates that appropriate application of agroforestry principles and practices are a key avenue to help the European Union to achieve more sustainable methods of food and fibre production that produce both profits for farmers and environmental benefits.

Because successful and sustainable agroforestry practices are best developed by farmers and land owners working in partnership with researchers, extension staff, and other rural businesses AGFORWARD uses a participatory approach.

Aim & objectives

The overall aim of the project is to promote agroforestry practices in Europe that will advance rural development i.e. improved competitiveness, and social and environmental enhancement. The project involves two international institutions and over 23 universities, research and farming organisations from across Europe.

The project will achieve the above goal by addressing four objectives:

1. To understand the context and extent of agroforestry systems in Europe

2. To identify, develop and field-test innovations to improve the benefits and viability of agroforestry systems in Europe;

3. To evaluate innovative and develop better adapted designs and practices for locations where agroforestry is currently not-practised or is declining, and to quantify the opportunities for uptake at a field-, farm- and landscape-scale.

4. To promote the wider adoption of appropriate agroforestry systems in Europe through policy development and dissemination