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Tree-planting is a key part of the UK government’s plan to reach net zero by 2050, with a commitment to plant 30,000 hectares of new woodland every year. But where will all these trees go, and how can we ensure food production is maintained?

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https://www.agrifood4netzero.net/webinars--podcast

Agroforestry – through silvopasture and silvoarable systems, as well as better integrated hedges – may hold some answers. Cambridgeshire farmer, soil scientist, and UK agroforestry pioneer, Stephen Briggs, has successfully integrated fruit trees and arable crops: The result has been improved resilience to economic and weather shocks, healthier soils, better water retention, and increased productivity. In this webinar, Stephen shares his insights from his farm and working with agroforesters around the world. Stephen covers:

  • Why he went into agroforestry (the business and environmental case
  • What his system comprises of & his routes to market
  • How agroforestry has benefited his farm
  • More widely, benefits and opportunities from agroforestry
  • Practical considerations – system design, machinery, labour, added value, challenges
  • ELMS and what we could expect
  • What we can learn from other countries

The seminar is chaired by Prof Neil Ward, a co-lead of the AFN Network+, professor at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, and author of Net Zero, Food and Farming: Climate Change and the UK Agri-Food System (Routledge 2023).

 

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Net Zero

In 2015, the UK pledged to be Net Zero by 2050, with the NFU striving for the more ambitious target of 2040. Net Zero is achieved when the amount of greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted is balanced with those removed from the atmosphere. This helps to combat climate change and reduce global warming.

Regenerative Agriculture

Regenerative farming looks to optimise the use of the ecological system and environment, in order to benefit from the natural ecosystem services that they provide.

Agroecology

Agroecology is a holistic and integrated approach that simultaneously applies ecological and social concepts and principles to the design and management of sustainable agriculture and food systems. Definition from FAO.

Agroforestry

Agroforestry is the practice of combining agricultural crops or livestock with trees and shrubs. It is a great example of agroecology in action.  Agroforestry provides healthier soil, higher yields and vital homes for wildlife. 

Land Use to Deliver Net Zero

The UK Government has set a Net Zero target for 2050. Land use and management has a key role to play in this, with the NFU setting an even earlier target of 2040.

Silvopasture

Silvopasture is a practice that integrates trees with pasture for raising livestock.