Something old, something new? Multiple meanings of agroforestry in the Nordic region

Description

Food system transformation via 'agroecological transition’ pathways is increasingly viewed as essential for addressing food system challenges and has been written into EU policy. ‘Transition’ involves substantially altering a system so that both the values of the actors in the system and the techniques they use change (Hazard et al. 2017). There are multiple ways that farms and food systems might transition along agroecological principles.

Agroforestry is one tool in the agroecology 'toolbox'. Agroforestry is the practice of deliberately integrating trees and shrubs into crop and livestock farming to produce synergistic effects through the resulting ecological and economic interactions. The European Union defines agroforestry as 'a land use system in which trees are grown in combination with agriculture on the same land' (EU Regulation 1305/2013).
On the one hand, agroforestry has been practiced throughout Europe, including Nordic countries, since the advent of agriculture, and agroforestry has formed and maintained some of the continent’s most enduring farming and cultural landscapes, including those of high nature value. On the other hand, agroforestry seems to have attained “buzzword” status in regard to agroecological transitions.

The current focus on agroforestry in projects, position papers and mentions in policy planning suggests that support for agroforestry will be expanded in coming agricultural policy including CAP. While this would be a welcome development from an agroecology transitions point of view, there are also potential tensions and lack of clarity on what agroforestry is in focus and how it would be implemented.

Using focus group discussions and other materials, we explore 1) how agroforestry is understood in the context of contributing to agroecology transitions in the Nordic countries and 2) what factors need to be considered and potential risks mitigated for agroforestry to successfully contribute to agroecology transitions in the Nordic countries.

Presentation in Working Group 34. Territorial-level agroecological transitions for liveable rural futures: directions, deadlocks, detours

Period	10 Jul 2025
Event title	30th European Society for Rural Sociology Congress
Event type	Conference
Location	Riga, LatviaShow on map
Degree of Recognition	International