Challenges and Barriers to the Implementation of Agroforestry in Europe

Challenges and Barriers to the Implementation of Agroforestry in Europe … (enter LULUCF and LPIS) Gerry Lawson, Policy Officer, European Agroforestry Federation Agromix Policy Summit, Brussels, 17.4.24 EU DigitAF Project , ResAlliance Project [email protected] Sheep used to graze pine forest understories in Catalunya to reduce the risk and intensity of fires. POLICY SUMMIT 2024 The EU had a simple agroforestry definition in CAP 2017/22 “Land use systems in which trees are grown in combination with agriculture on the same land (Reg 1305/2013)”. Agroforestry trees can be inside parcels or on boundaries (e.g. hedges). Agroforestry can be on forest parcels (e.g. “forest grazing”) or agricultural parcels (e.g. “wood pasture”) Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 1 Definitions of Agroforestry 4 Definitions of agroforestry in CAP Strategic Plans 5 ●All Member States define “agroforestry”in their CAP Strategic Plans. ●Most give the maximum numbers of trees per hectare (e.g. 400/ha), but few give the minimum number or the definition of “tree”. Policy Briefing #22 ●Few of the definitions can be used easily in remote sensing. ●All Member States have defined woody-landscape-features (individual trees, hedges and trees in groups and lines) in their Strategic Plans IACS/LPIS systems (PB #21) ●Member States have to report the area of new agroforestry (Result Indicator 17.3) and woody landscape-features (Result Indicator 17.4) but this data is not available yet (PB#07) ●Landscape-feature areas are recorded as Impact Indicator 21, but this is only available at a very high level based on LUCAS sampling. MS are encouraged in the NRR to develop their own metrics. ●The target of 10% High Diversity Landscape Features in the Nature Restoration Regulation was removed by the EU Parliament, leaving only a commitment to an “increasing trend in HDLF” (PB#18) ●Several countries (e.g. Ireland, Denmark, Austria, Netherlands, Spain) are moving towards better identification and accounting of LULUCF-GHG emissions from trees on grassland and cropland. (PB#17) ●Several Member states have defined “permanent grassland” to include areas which are predominantly covered by shrubs which can be grazed or cut for fodder - and these can be considered as agroforestry (PB#29) Art 6 of the LULUCF Regulation v the FMR Article 4(3) of the CAP Strategic Plan Regulation (2021/2115): Agricultural area shall be determined in such a way as to comprise arable land, permanent crops and permanent grassland, including when they form agroforestry systems on that area. The terms ‘arable land’, ‘permanent crops’ and ‘permanent grassland’ shall be further specified by Member States within their CAP Strategic Plans. (Policy Briefing #22) Article 6 (3) of the LULUCF Regulation (2018/841) defined Forest Land according to the Thresholds in Annex II (opposite). These are also used in national forest laws, UNFCCC Marrakesh Accords, REDD+, Kyoto Clean Development Mechanism etc. (Policy Briefing #8) Therefore, the EU Forest Monitoring Regulation should use the UNFCCC and LULUCF forest thresholds and not emulate Procrustes. (Policy Briefing #15) One Size Fits ALL ?? Procrustes was a Greek blacksmith who either stretched his guests or cut off their legs to fit his one-size-fits all bed 6 Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 2 Support for Agroforestry in previous CAP Periods 7 EU Agroforestry Policy: CAP 2007-2013 ●Agroforestry was mentioned 6 times in the first EU Forest Strategy (1999) ●Regulation 1698/2005 included support for afforestation of agricultural land and was adopted in 66 regions (from 88) ●However support for new areas of agroforestry were adopted only in 18 regions (CY, ES(6), FR(2), HU, IT(5), PT(2), UK(1)), ●More than 3000 beneficiaries were planned on 60 000 ha ●France (Hexagone) and Flanders - implemented agroforestry in 2010. ●A wide range of other measures were used in a modest way to support small-scale tree planting on farms (see Mosquera et al 2016) In the end, the agroforestry measure was made available to farmers in only 5 regions Agroforestry in the CAP 2015-2022 (Measure 8.2) 9 Impact Indicator 21 (area of landscape features) 16 Woody Landscape features based on LUCAS (JRC) 4 Pillar I - Ecoschemes (Article 31) 17 Agricultural practices that could be supported by eco-schemes have to meet the following conditions: ●they should cover activities related to climate, environment, animal welfare and antimicrobial resistance; ●they shall be defined on the basis of the needs and priorities identified at national/regional levels; ●their level of ambition has to go beyond the requirements and obligations established under the baseline (including conditionality); ●they shall contribute to reaching the EU Green Deal targets. Agro-ecology ● Crop rotation with leguminous crops ● Mixed cropping - multi cropping ● Cover crop between tree rows on permanent crops - orchards, vineyards, olive trees - above conditionality ● Winter soil cover and catch crops above conditionality ● Low intensity grass-based livestock system ● Use of crops/plant varieties more resilient to climate change ● Mixed species/diverse sward of permanent grassland for biodiversity purpose (pollination, birds, game feedstocks) ● Improved rice cultivation to decrease methane emissions (e.g. alternate wet and dry techniques) Husbandry and animal welfare plans ● Feeding plans: suitability of and access to feed and water, feed and water quality analyses (e.g. micotoxines), optimised feed strategies ● Friendly housing conditions: increased space allowances per animal, improved flooring (e.g., straw bedding provided on a daily basis), free farrowing, provision of enriched environment (e.g. rooting for pigs, perching, nest-building materials, etc.), shading/sprinklers/ventilation to cope with heat stress ● Practices increasing animal robustness, fertility, longevity and adaptability, e.g. lifespan of dairy cows; breeding lower emission animals, promoting genetic diversity and resilience ● Animal health prevention and control plans: overall plan for reducing the risk of infections that require antimicrobials and covering all relevant husbandry practices, e.g. crawl space between two rearing belts, vaccination and treatments, enhanced biosecurity, use of feed additives, etc. ● Providing access to pastures and increasing grazing period for grazing animals ● Provide and manage regular access to open air areas Agro-forestry ● Establishment and maintenance of landscape features above conditionality ● Management and cutting plan of landscape features ● Establishment and maintenance of high-biodiversity silvo-pastoral systems Huge number of potential Ecoschemes (1) 18 Note that Landscape features are clearly judged as agroforestry And more potential ecoschemes (2) High nature value (HNV) farming ● Land lying fallow with species composition for biodiversity purpose (pollination, birds, game feedstocks, etc). ● Shepherding on open spaces and between permanent crops, transhumance and common grazing ● Semi-natural habitat creation and enhancement ● Reduction of fertiliser use, low intensity management in arable crops Carbon farming ● Conservation agriculture ● Rewetting wetlands/peatlands, paludiculture ● Minimum water table level during winter ● Appropriate management of residues, i.e. burying of agricultural residues, seeding on residues ● Establishment and maintenance of permanent grassland ● Extensive use of permanent grassland Precision farming ● Nutrients management plan, use of innovative approaches to minimise nutrient release, optimal pH for nutrient uptake, circular agriculture ● Precision crop farming to reduce inputs (fertilisers, water, plant protection products) ● Improving irrigation efficiency Improve nutrient management ● Implementation of nitrates-related measures that go beyond the conditionality obligations ● Measures to reduce and prevent water, air and soil pollution from excess nutrients such as soil sampling if not already obligatory, creation of nutrient traps Protecting water resources ● Managing crop water demand (switching to less water intensive crops, changing planting dates, optimised irrigation schedules) Other practices beneficial for soil ● Erosion prevention strips and wind breaks ● Establishment or maintenance of terraces and strip cropping Other practices related to GHG emissions ● Feed additives to decrease emissions from enteric fermentation ● Improved manure management and storage 19 5 Pillar II - Investment Measures (Article 73) 20 Paragraph 4… maximum rate may be increased to … (c) 100% for the following investments (1) afforestation, establishment and regeneration of agro-forestry systems, land consolidation in forestry and nonproductive investments linked to one or more of the specific objectives set out in Article 6(1), points (d), (e) and (f), including non-productive investments aimed at protecting livestock and crops against damage caused by wild animals; Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 6 Pillar II - Agri-Environment -Climate (AECM) (Article 70) 21 ●Actions go beyond SMR and GAEC standards ●Commitments for 5-7 years (but may be longer or shorter - if a case is made in the CSP) ●Annual payment per hectare or a lump sum ●Payments “basis of the additional costs incurred and income foregone resulting from the commitments made, taking into account the targets set”. ●Can take into account “transaction costs” CAP Agroforestry Support Measures (2023-2028) ONLY 17 AF measures from a total of 948 in Articles 31 (ECO), 70 (AECM) and 73-74 (INVEST) 22 Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 7 Other CAP Measures 23 Article 71 - natural or other area specific constraints Article 72 - Area specific disadvantages from mandatory requirements Article 76 - Risk management tools Article 77 - Cooperation (e.g. EIP, Leader) Article 78 - Knowledge exchange and dissemination Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 8 Sustaining support - CRCF, SFI, Agri-ETS, GreenData4All, LULUCF 24 https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/daviz/eu-e missions-and-removals-of-1/#tab-chart_2 The 2030 LULUCF Target is very unlikely to be achieved. 25 Body slides / Chapter page + inside pages POLICY SUMMIT 2024 10 The Green Deal is being “simplified” …. Do we need a new EU “Productive and Diverse Landscape Strategy” (covering woody, wet and herbaceous woody landscape features) 32 33 POLICY SUMMIT 2024 Tree-Cover-Density (TCD) on agricultural land in the 39 EEA countries. Areas of white are non-agricultural areas. Red areas are priority planting zones where TCD is particularly low. Source: Copernicus TCD-2018 superimposed on Corine agricultural land for 2018. Each pixel covers 1 ha (100 m x 100 m). The map was produced for the EU DigitAF project by Planet Inc and the European Forest Institute. Tree Desert Landscapes in Europe h) Spain - on the EU average "Zero-Tree-Index" 70.1% EURAF Conference in Brno in May - see you there? 35 EURAF Members 2024 More information on Agroforestry and Policies? #21 Landscape Features in the new CAP (v1 30.1.23) #22 Agroforestry definitions in the new CAP (v1 14.2.23) #23 Research and innovation priorities - Horizon Europe 2025-2027 (v1 28.2.23) #24 Agroforestry and Parliament’s report on Sustainable Carbon Cycles (v1 5.3.23) #25 Options for FAO reporting on Trees outside Forests (v1 30.5.23) #26 Agroforestry and the 2040 AFOLU net-zero target (v1 23.6.23) #27 Agroforestry and adaptation to climate change (v1 31.7.23) #28 Agroforestry and the Sustainable Finance Initiative (v1 15.12.23) #29 Agroforestry and Permanent Grassland Definitions in EU Member States ( v1 31/12/23) #30 Agroforestry & "Forest Reproductive Material", "New Genomic Techniques" Regs(v2 22.12.23) #15 Monitoring Trees outside Forests in the EU (v1-2.5.22, v2-1.6.22, v3-23.1.23) #16 Agroforestry and the Green Deal - paper abstracts from Nuoro (v1 Jul 22, V2 20.9.22) #17 Agroforestry in the Revised LULUCF Regulation (v1 Jun 22, V2 Jul 22, v3 30.11.22) #18 Agroforestry and the EU Nature Restoration Regulation (v1 Jul 22, v2 31.12.23) #19 Agroforestry and the EU ABER Regulation (IE, FI, NL, SE, LU, DE etc) (v1 31.12.22) #20 Agroforestry and the Framework Regulation for Carbon Removals (v1 31.12.22) 36 #8 Agroforestry for carbon-farming (v1 Sep 20, v2 Dec 21, v3 15.4.22, v4 1.4.24)