4th European Agroforestry Conference
Agroforestry as Sustainable Land Use
28-30 May 2018, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
Programme | Call for Abstracts | REGISTRATION and Conference Fees | Venue | Call for the EURAF General Assembly | Post-Conference Tours | Post-Conference Training | Organisers and Sponsors
Donwload the Conference Proceedings here
The participants at the 4th European Agroforestry Congress adopted a statement aimed at accelerating transitions to sustainable land use to fight against climate change.Click here to read the Statement
WELCOME ADDRESS
The European Agroforestry Federation (EURAF) cordially invites you to join the European Agroforestry Conference 2018, to be held in Nijmegen (The Netherlands).
‘We all know the agroforestry goal, but how to get there?’ That will be the overall and main question on our 2018-conference. How to realise the transition to an agricultural sector, that uses the economic and environmental benefits that agroforestry offers? You’ve come to the right place. OLG has been Ontario’s premier place to play since 1975 and has been giving Ontarians great Online Casino Games since 2015.
The ambition of the EURAF Conference 2018 is accelerating inspiring transitions towards agroforestry as sustainable land use, including the role that agroforestry has to play in order to fight against climate change.
CAP 2021-2027 will be decisive for the future of agroforestry in Europe. That’s why the board of EURAF gratefully accepted the offer of the City of Nijmegen to host our conference. Nijmegen is relative close to Brussels, making our conference even more attractive to involve European politicians and policymakers. Above that, as ‘European Green Capital 2018’ Nijmegen is the perfect international podium to promote agroforestry. The prestigious title ‘European Green Capital’ is an initiative of the European Commission.
On EURAF-2018, farmers are more than welcome to exchange their experiences and know-how, also regarding the barriers in their transition to agroforestry, that will be considered by the European Thematic Network Project “Agroforestry Innovation Network” AFINET linked to the EIP-AGRI.
We want to conclude our 2018-conference with a firm and clear public statement to inspire and to encourage both farmers and policymakers. During the conference every participant will be invited to contribute to this statement.
Nijmegen is the oldest city of the Netherlands, enriched with a young, relaxed and world-open vibe, with over 40.000 academic students, and beautifully situated on the hilly borders of the river Waal. Because of climate change, close to the centre recently a side-channel has been realised, providing the city with a magnificent island, partly Natura 2000 reserve.
We hope to welcome you on our 4th Agroforestry Conference, in Nijmegen European Green Capital 2018!
Maria Rosa Mosquera Losada
President of the European Agroforestry Federation
PROGRAMME
Dowload the Programme of the Scientific Sessions and the Poster Sessions
Monday 28 May
8h30-9h30: Registration, coffee, tea
9h30-10h00: Welcome address
Hubert Bruls, Mayor of the City of Nijmegen
Professor Maria Rosa Mosquera-Losada, President of EURAF
10h00-10h30: Reflections on achievements and dreams about tomorrow
By the two chairs of the conference: Professor Maria Rosa Mosquera-Losada and professor Jan Willem Erisman, Earth and Climate, VU Amsterdam
10h30-11h00: Only ecological intensification can feed the world
Professor Pablo Tittonell, National coordinator of the Natural Resources and Environment Program of INTA, Argentina’s agricultural research organization
11h00-11h30: Coffee break
11h30-12h00: Recent Advance in Agroforestry: In Support of Transition from Conventional to Climate-Resilient Farming
Distinguished Professor P.K. Ramachandran Nair, University of Florida, USA; a founding member and former senior staff of ICRAF, the World Agroforestry Centre
12h00-12h30: Current and future Common Agricultural Policy
Robert Hódosi, European Commission
12h30-13h00: Dutch ambitions on Agroforestry
Bea Schouten, vice-governor of the Province of Gelderland and Anne-Marie Spierings, vice-governor of the Province of North Brabant
13h00-14h30: Lunch
14h30-16h30: Parallel presentations and discussions
Parallel session 1 "Factors of success and failure in the transition into agroforestry" (moderated by Robert Borek, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Pulawy, Poland)
Parallel session 2 "Costs and revenues of agroforestry on the scale of the individual farm, a region and a state; proven practice and theoretical models" (moderated by Gerry Lawson, Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK)
Parallel session 3 "Agroforestry policies" (moderated by Mark Vonk, EURAF-representative for The Netherlands; representative Stichting van Akker naar Bos; board member Foundation Agroforestry Nederland; co-owner Boshoeve Sprankenhof, The Netherlands)
Parallel session 4 "Agroforestry as a form of sustainable land use to fight against climate change" (moderated by Adolfo Rosati, Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura, Spoleto, Italy)
16h30-17h00: Coffee Break
17h00-18h30: Poster session 1
19h00-22h00: Conferent banquet
Tuesday 29 May
Field tours start between 8h00 and 9h00, end at 18h00. All tours start and end at the Waalkade, centre of Nijmegen. After the tours there is a barbecue party, that starts 19h00, location De Lindenberg, Ridderstraat 23, 6511 TM Nijmegen. For each tour we can register a maximum of 45 participants. The tours will be allocated on a first registered, first served basis. When registering for the field trip May 29 it is possible to select your preferences by order of choice (1, 2, 3).
1. Agroforestry and food forest in Belgium
This field tour brings us to the north-eastern part of Belgium, the region called Haspengouw. An undulating landscape with fertile loamy soils, a rich history and known for its orchards. We will visit a Dutch farmer developing the largest and oldest food forest in the two countries and a Belgian farmer who is transforming his farm integrating agroforestry. More info here.
2. Agroforestry in and around Amsterdam
Various initiatives integrating agroforestry principles are developing in and around Amsterdam, the most densely populated region of the Netherlands. We will visit an amazing biodynamic fruit garden 2.0, a five ha food-forest recently started by young academics and a newly developed ecological neighbourhood in which trees and food production constitute an integral part of its design. More info here.
3. Food forests in the urban environment of Nijmegen
The main destination of this tour is Ketelbroek, the oldest food forest of the Netherlands, where you will admire surprising combinations of trees, shrubs, climbers and herbs. In the afternoon we will visit a number of food forests and other agroforestry projects which are in their childhood years. They resulted from public private partnership between the City of Nijmegen and passionate farmers who seek for innovative forms of agriculture. More info here.
4. Sustainable land use and social functions
During this tour we will visit farms where food production is combined with social care, education, enjoying landscape and recreation. Farming is seen as more than sustainable land use. It a way of living. More info here.
5. Successfully Innovating food production while coping with bureaucracy
On this tour we will visit two farms in the central part of the Netherlands. Two very different farms with different experiences and challenges. Both enterprises have in common that in their development they are frequently facing bureaucratic regulations obstructing their plans. The owners have become experts in searching for solutions often by respecting the intentions of the law/regulation rather than its written words. More info here.
6. Transforming conventional dairy farms into agroforestry farms
In the western part of Brabant, the province renowned for its bio industry, two conventional dairy farms have been transformed into farms in which trees and shrubs play a major role. However, the visitors will be confronted with two completely different scenarios. More info here.
Wednesday 30 May
9h00-11h00: Parallel presentations and discussions
Parallel session 1 "Testimonies of farmers from Europe" (moderated by Joana Amaral Paulo, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Portugal)
Parallel session 2 "Environmental benefits of agroforestry" (moderated by Felix Herzog, Agroscope Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland)
Parallel session 3 "Biodiversity and added value" (moderated by Bohdan Lojka, Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Prague, Czech Republic)
Parallel session 4 "Tree fodder: food for thoughts?" (moderated by Christian Dupraz, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Montpellier, France)
Parallel session 5 "Innovations in agroforestry" (moderated by Norbert Lamersdorf, Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany)
11h00-12h00: Poster session 2 (including coffee)
12h00-13h00: Lunch
13h00-15h00: Parallel presentations and discussions
Parallel session 6 "Social and economic aspects in developing agroforestry" (moderated by Pierluigi Paris, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Porano, Italy)
Parallel session 7 "Tree-Crop-Animal competition and facilitation" (moderated by Jo Smith, Organic Research Centre, Newbury, UK)
Parallel session 8 "Agroforestry and multiple products value chain" (moderated by María Rosa Mosquera-Losada, University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain)
Parallel session 9 "Education and tools to investigate agroforestry" (moderated by Anastasia Pantera, Technological Educational Institute, Karpenissi, Greece)
Parallel session 10 "Dutch practice and Dutch transition" (moderated by Van Veluw, Wageningen University & Research, The Netherlands)
15h00-16h00: Poster session 2 (continued), including coffee and tea
16h00-17h30: Official closing of the conference, including statement and EURAF awards ceremony
Starting with statements by:
Claude Fromageot, Director Yves Rocher Foundation. The foundation supports worldwide the plantation of 100 million trees to enhance biodiversity
Roel Feringa, Director Nature and Biodiversity, Ministry of Agriculture
Hans Huijbers, chairman of ZLTO, the Southern Agriculture and Horticulture Organization (ZLTO), representing the interests of entrepreneurs working in green areas
Eurídice Leyequién, Professor Management of Forested Landscapes, Van Hall Larenstein University of Applied Sciences
17h30-20h30: EURAF General Assembly (for EURAF members only)
Thursday 31 May
Post-Conference Tours and Post-Conference Training. More info below.
Guidelines for Oral and Poster Presentations here
Abstract submission now closed
The EURAF 2018 Conference Programme Committee invites you to submit an abstract for oral or poster presentation. You may suggest a parallel session or a poster presentation for your abstract.
Abstracts must be submitted ultimately by 15th February 2018.
Submitted abstracts will be reviewed and selected by the EURAF Scientific Committee*. All this will result in: (i) Abstracts to present in the parallel sessions of the conference on day one and day three and (ii) Abstracts to present as poster presentation in the conference hall.
Abstracts will be included in the conference proceedings that participants will receive upon registration at the start of the conference.
All abstracts related to agroforestry are welcome. Abstracts describing agroforestry initiatives, practices and skills do not necessarily have to meet the criteria applied to scientific abstracts.
We do welcome abstracts on a selected number of main topics that are directly related to the ambition of our conference: accelerating inspiring transitions of conventional farming towards agroforestry as a form of sustainable land use to fight against climate change (see below, main topics).
Also related to our objective is a special parallel session about farmer’s skills and practices, which is scheduled for the morning sessions on day three. Abstracts on this subject are more than welcome. We strongly encourage oral communication by farmers in this session.
Main topics for the parallel sessions on day one
- Factors of sucess and failure in the transition into agroforestry
- Costs and revenues of agroforestry on the scale of the individual farm, a region and a state; proven practice and theoretical models
- Agroforestry policies
- Agroforestry as a form of sustainable land use to fight against climate change
Main topics for the parallel sessions on day three
- Testimonies of farmers from Europe
- Environmental benefits of agroforestry
- Biodiversity and added value
- Tree fodder: food for thoughts?
- Innovations in agroforestry
- Social and economic aspects in developing agroforestry
- Tree-Crop-Animal competition and facilitation
- Agroforestry and multiple products value chain
- Education and tools to investigate agroforestry
You have to submit your abstract in English, the language of the conference. However, please contact us if this would limit your contribution. Your abstract has to be written in accordance with our guidelines.
*Scientific Committee of the Conference
| Adolfo Rosati | Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura, Spoleto, Italy |
| Anastasia Pantera | Technological Educational Institute, Karpenissi, Greece |
| Andrea Pisanelli | Istituto di Biologia Agroambientale e Forestale, Porano, Italy |
| Andrea Vityi | University of West Hungary, Sopron, Hungary |
| Bert Reubens | Instituut voor Landbouw en Visserijonderzoek, Merelbeke, Belgium |
| Bohdan Lojka | Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Prague, Czech Republic |
| Christian Dupraz | Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Montpellier, France |
| Felix Herzog | Agroscope Research Center, Zurich, Switzerland |
| Gerry Lawson | Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, UK |
| Joana Amaral Paulo | Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Portugal |
| João Palma | Instituto Superior de Agronomia, University of Lisbon, Portugal |
| Jo Smith | Organic Research Centre, Newbury, UK |
| María Pilar González-Hernández | University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain |
| María Rosa Mosquera-Losada | University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain |
| Mercedes Rois-Díaz | European Forest Institute, Joensuu, Finland |
| Norbert Lamersdorf | Georg-August-Universität, Göttingen, Germany |
| Nuria Ferreiro-Domínguez | University of Santiago de Compostela, Lugo, Spain |
| Pierluigi Paris | Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Porano, Italy |
| Robert Borek | Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation, Pulawy, Poland |
| Vania Georgieva Kachova | Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria |
| Vasiliy Yukhnovskyi | National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine |
|
Victoria Nelissen |
Instituut voor Landbouw en Visserijonderzoek, Merelbeke, Belgium |
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REGISTRATION AND CONFERENCE FEES
To register, follow this REGISTRATION link.
The HOTEL reservation form is availabe is this link. The password to access the hotel reservation form is Euraf2018 (the password is case-sensitive). This reservation form will be closed as of 12.00 noon on 15th April 2018. Negotiated rates do not apply after this date.
| Ordinary Fees | |
| Conference fees for EURAF members | 300 € |
| Conference fees for EURAF non-members | 350 € |
| Conference fees for students | 200 € |
| Conference fees for farmers | 250 € |
| Options | |
| Excursion + Barbecue party for full conference participants (Tuesday May 29) | 80 € |
| Conference Banquet (Monday 28 May) for accompanying persons | 70 € |
|
EURAF annual membership (special conference rate, usual rate for individual members is 30 €) To register as an EURAF member please contact with the EURAF delegates in each country through this link |
20 € |
| Only for farmers and other agriculture related entrepreneurs or institutions | |
| Conference fee for only May 28, Conference Banquet excluded | 140 € |
| Conference fee for only May 29, Barbeque party included | 90 € |
| Conference fee for only May 30 | 140 € |
Notes
- No refund for cancellations after 16th April. Cancellation fees before 16th April are 25%
- Your EURAF membership will be controlled by EURAF authorities
- EURAF members having paid their fees in 2016 and/or 2017 are granted the reduced rate
- Please note that only EURAF members are allowed to participate in the EURAF General Assembly scheduled after the Conference (30 May at 18:00 pm)
- The registration fees include conference proceedings, the conference backpack, a nametag, access to all conference sessions and receptions, the lunches and coffee breaks on 28 and 30 May, the conference banquet on May 28 and the opportunity to register for housing and the May 29 field tour
- If you register for the field trip, could you please select the field tours by order of choice (1 to 3). The tours will be allocated on a first come first served basis
- The lunch is included in the price of the field tour
- All tours May 29 will end at De Lindenberg, around 18h00, followed by a barbecue party starting 19h00
VENUE
The EURAF 2018 conference will take place in De Lindenberg (location Ridderstraat 23), in the centre of Nijmegen, within a fifteen minute walk of Nijmegen Central Railway Station and a lot of hotels and with two parking facilities within 100 metres distance. Detailed information is available on https://www.delindenberg.com/verhuur/zakelijke-evenementen/
The city of Nijmegen is easily accessible by car or train. There are several airports in the vicinity, so when planning your trip to Nijmegen check which airport is the most convenient for you.
Arriving by plane
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
The biggest airport in the Netherlands is Schiphol. Trains run to Nijmegen every 15 minutes from the airport train terminal. The journey takes about 1.5 hours. Tickets are sold at the vending machines or at the counters in the hall.
Dusseldorf Weeze Airport
The closest airport to Nijmegen is located in Germany only 40 minutes away from the centre of Nijmegen. Several (budget) airlines operate at Dusseldorf Weeze Airport, offering over 50 destinations. There are buses going from Weeze Airport directly to Nijmegen Central Station (costs appr. 18€), but you need to make a reservation.
Eindhoven Airport
Another airport close to Nijmegen is located in Eindhoven, about 80 minutes away. You can check for flights to Eindhoven Airport, and then plan your trip from this airport to Nijmegen.
And more…
If none of the above-mentioned airports has a convenient flight for you, you could check the Cologne Bonn Airport or Dusseldorf International Airport.
Arriving by car or train
You can plan your route by car or by public transport
It is a 15 minute walk to De Lindenberg from Nijmegen's train station.
OV-chipkaart
The ‘OV-chipkaart’ is used as a general means of payment on the public transport system. The chip card can be loaded with credit in euros, with which you can travel within the Netherlands. More information can be found on the 'OV-chipkaart' website.
More information on travelling
Travelling by train: www.ns.nl
Journey planner: www.9292.nl
Route by car: www.routeplanner.nl
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CALL FOR THE EURAF GENERAL ASSEMBLY
The EURAF General Assembly will be convened during the Conference, on May 30, from 17:30 until 20:30. The Assembly will elect the EURAF Officers for the next two years. The Assembly is restricted to EURAF members. EURAF membership can be obtained at registration, or on the premises before the Assembly. The EURAF General Assembly will be available by streaming on the internet, allowing all members to take part (including in the votes) from any place.
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When: Thursday May 31, 09h00-17h30
Where: From De Lindenberg by bus to Overberg, or Tecklenburg (Germany), or Appelscha
For each tour we can register a maximum of 45 participants. The tours will be allocated on a first come, first served basis. You can select your preferences by order of choice (1, 2, 3).
1. Two food forests and a large green chicken farm, in Overberg, close to Utrecht (CANCELLED)
In this excursion we pay a visit to two food forests, varying in size and objectives, and a biological poultry farm integrating trees in its production system. More info here.
2. A search for a sustainable production systems, in Tecklenburg, Germany
The bus will bring us to two young farmers who have fantastic experiences with various types of animals in the woods. Before we arrive in Germany we visit the vast Twickel Estate, a truly delightful rural environment where you will be informed about a number of promising ideas on transition. More info here.
3. Experiences on a walnut-hazelnut farm and rediscovering farming in the wood, near Appelscha (little town in the north of the Netherlands)
We will visit two farms. The first is specialized in walnuts and seeks for diversification. On the second one you will meet three passionate farmers reinventing farming in forests. More info here.
Lunch: either as a buffet on one of the farms or at a nearby restaurant
Back in Nijmegen: the bus will take you back to Central Station Nijmegen, arrival at 17h30. The first train to Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport departs at 17h43 and arrives at 19h11. Trains for Amsterdam/Schiphol Airport leaving four times an hour.
Registration fee: 50 € for organisational costs (lunch included).
Please register HERE
For any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact mark [at] akkernaarbos [dot] nl
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Workshop: "Hi-sAFE: a biophysical model for alley cropping sytems"
When: 31 May-1 June 2018
Where: Nijmegen city center (exact location to-be-announced)
Lead by: Kevin Wolz, PhD – Postdoctoral Researcher, French National Institute for Agricultural Research
This 2-day workshop will introduce researchers to the Hi-sAFe model – a biophysical model for alley cropping systems. The workshop will focus on helping researchers understand how they can leverage Hi-sAFe in their research. The workshop will be conducted in English. More info here.
Please register HERE
For any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact wolzkevin [at] gmail [dot] com
