Trees have traditionally been an integrated part of European farmlands and bringing them back could be part of an answer to some of our pressing environmental challenges.

Join Asger Mindegaard and Celia Nyssens on a walk through the forest of opportunities for more agroecological farming provided by agroforestry in Portugal.

‘Agroforestry’ describes systems where agricultural activities (crops and/or livestock) are combined with growing trees and woody shrubs. Agroforestry is applicable no matter the farm size, main crops and produces, farm design and management. It also varies according to local climatic conditions, culture, and farmers’ personal preferences. 

Agroforestry is not agroecological by default, but it is in many ways a natural part of agroecological farming because of the many advantages trees bring to a farm. A good example of vibrant agroforestry production is present on the plains of Alentejo, Portugal.

Family trees 

Herdade do Freixo do Meio lies about an hour’s drive east of Lisbon. The 500 hectares of farmland have belonged to the same family for six generations and since Alfredo Sendim took over the land in the 1990s agroecological agroforestry has been the goal. The approach combines traditional knowledge of the ancient Portuguese ‘montado’ system with state-of-the-art agronomic practices and research.

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