Is agroforestry the plan for the future?

In the so-called 'agroforestry' cultivation system, trees and other woody crops (perennial crops) are combined with arable farming or vegetable cultivation (annual crops) or distributed on one plot. You should consider the same design as with strip cultivation. An example is the combination of fruit trees, nut trees or willows with grain, cabbage or potatoes. For example, on a plot near Lelystad there are already rows of walnut trees and hazel trees with wide strips of potato plants in between. 

The combination of trees with livestock is also a solution, as is already being applied to various agricultural companies Noord-Brabant (especially in poultry farming). The trees create shelter for the livestock. Other provinces are now also considering the use of agroforestry. "Farms must be economically and ecologically sustainable. This requires new revenue models. Agroforestry is one of the options," said Peter Drenth, deputy in the province of Gelderland.

Improve the resilience of the agricultural system
The aim of combining perennial and annual crops is to increase the resilience of the entire agricultural system. Agroforestry is therefore increasingly described as a sustainable and innovative form of agriculture. And that of course fits right in with Minister Schouten. For example, ecological resources such as water, light and nutrients should be better utilized with this cultivation system, allowing them to increase food production per hectare. In addition, the project must biodiversity to a higher level in the Netherlands.

The latter is already being investigated via a pilot field study in the field of Wageningen University & Research near Lelystad. "These trees attract more insects to the fields and can also extract deep-seated nutrients and water from the soil," said Wijnand Sukkel, one of the researchers of the Agroforestry project (a collaboration between WUR, the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality and various arable farmers) at the end of August. The ability to let through and retain water also ensures that food production per hectare can be increased.

Another often mentioned example is the economic resilience of the company through risk spreading. This is one of the reasons why the province of Gelderland supports the project with the 'Agroforestry Network Gelderland'. This network brings together farmers who want to get started and supports them with exchanges, training, workshops and excursions. "Many trees and shrubs have disappeared from agricultural land in recent years due to specialization and economies of scale, while they can provide a rich harvest of nuts, chestnuts and other fruits. It is therefore an interesting source of income," the province writes.

Research takes a lot of time
This all sounds fantastic and it is, provided it can be applied immediately. That is not the case. Although crop combinations (also known as mixed crops) theoretically perform better than monocultures economically and ecologically, there is not yet sufficient knowledge and experience in the field of agroforestry to suggest the same for this cropping system. Last winter, for example, hundreds of trees were planted at Wittenhorst Nature Farm on agricultural land where the cows also graze. The problem, however, is that it takes (too) long before the trees are fully grown and data can be collected about the yields. In addition, it is also necessary to investigate which varieties are suitable for planting between annual crops.

In short: agroforestry is certainly a great goal for the future and the 'new' agricultural sector as Minister Schouten would like to see. However, short-term application seems impossible. After all, it will take years before conclusions can be drawn and it can therefore be definitively stated that agroforestry is the ideal cultivation system for the future.