Agroforestry för svenska förhållanden 2024 - Flipbook - Page 65
Agroforestry conference
in Alnarp, Sweden 2022.
6. ADVISORY SERVICES & EDUCATION
Author: Linnéa Pasquier
Since agroforestry often involves farmers planting
trees on their cropland, trees that require different
knowledge than what they already have about plant
cultivation or animal husbandry, the transition to
agroforestry can be difficult, despite all the benefits
for nature and the farm’s finances. The farmer needs
to know how to establish and manage the systems;
species combinations of trees, crops and animals,
grazing strategies for silvopastoral systems, plant
protection aspects such as beneficial animals and
how to avoid competition for light and water, soil
preparation depending on the soil. The list is long,
and the knowledge is necessary to avoid general
problems that may arise [19, 46, 47, 21]. In light of
this, advice and training are essential to promote
agroforestry [21, 47]. But where are these advisors?
nials) at either the Swedish Board of Agriculture, the
Swedish Forest Agency or any county administrative
board [32]. Based on what Agroforestry Sweden currently knows, private advisory actors do not have any
crop cultivation advisors specialising in agroforestry.
The major forestry and agricultural advisory
organisations
Specific events, courses and workshops focused on
agroforestry are sometimes available through the
Swedish Board of Agriculture, advisory companies
and county administrative boards. For example, county administrative boards have organised several
meetings and lectures on forest grazing, alley cropping and forest gardens. So far, the information has
only been made available during such meetings
and stakeholders must keep themselves continuously
updated for future events. That said, there is currently
no expert in agroforestry issues (such as management,
establishment, synergies and competition to optimise
the interaction in a co-cultivation with woody peren-
Besök hos Anders Lindén, Rydeholms skogsträdgård under
konferensen i Alnarp. Spetskompetensen i anläggandet
av agroforestry ligger idag hos individer som anförskaffat
sig kunskaperna som krävs genom studier, inspiration från
utlandet och eget utövande. / Farm tour with Anders Lindén,
Rydeholm farm - a study visit during the conference at SLU
Alnarp. The leading edge knowledge base for the implementation of agroforestry is currently situated with individuals
who have themselves acquired the necessary skills though
studies, inspiration from abroad and by practice.
On the other hand, there are advisory services in
specific areas that can be linked to agroforestry, such
as experts on tree species, grazing animals, crop
