The French Agroforestry Mixed Technological Network (RMT AgroforesterieS) running from 2014 to 2019 is reborn for a new five years period (2021-2025). It is a network of approximately more than sixty research, development, training and production structures, which aims to create and strengthen links for the development of agroforestry. This network works closely with another national agroforestry network, “Réunir AF”, working on PAC and public policy issues.
The RMT AgroforesterieS is financed by the French Ministry of Agriculture, and its coordination is ensured by Olivier Van Den Bossche (French Chambers of agriculture - APCA) and Delphine Mézière (INRAE). Furthermore, the network is linked with the second National Agroforestry Development Plan.
From 2014 to 2019, the first RMT Agroforesteries had showed a lack of interconnection. It is why the second RMT’s keys of success are: to consolidate the French agroforestry community, to stimulate the emergence of multi-actors projects, to widely disseminate testimonies and references, to reach out to a larger and non-expert public, and, of course, to actively contribute to the development of agroforestry.
For this new five-year project 2021-2025, the RMT program is focused on the performance of agroforestry systems at different scales. Indeed, the lack of technical and economic references is one of the major obstacles to the development of agroforestry in France. Also, RMT’s work is structured around two pillars:
- Pillar 1 : Cross-cutting issues
- Pillar 2: Performance of agroforestry systems and support for transitions
The Pillar 1 permits coordination of the networks, collective data base management, communication and dissemination (website, newsletters and webinars), organisation of thematic events and representative missions.
The Pillar 2 gathers the thematic working groups (WG) together:
- GT Arable crops
- GT Livestock farming
- GT Viticulture
- GT Fruits, vegetables and PPAM (Perfume, Aromatic and Medicinal Plants)
- GT Understory crops from forests GT
- Trees outside forests & value chains
Six working groups
Each group meet at least four times per year. They are led by facilitators who meet once a month. Moreover, the Steering Committee, made up of representatives of the network's partner structures, meets once a year to ensure the progress of work and validate the orientations of the network. Claire Lemarié, as member of EURAF Board, participates to the Steering Committee to enhance communication and collaboration between national and European scales.
Claire Lemarié, Olivier Van Den Bossche, Delphine Mézière