Agroforestry - a way towards a more sustainable agricultural system

Agriculture, including in Denmark, is a major contributor to several transgressions of the planetary boundaries, particularly those associated with land use and climate change, biogeochemical flows, and biodiversity loss.

Agroforestry, a land-use system that integrates trees, crops, and/or livestock, offers a potentially viable solution to these ecological challenges. It can improve biodiversity and carbon sequestration. However, less than 1% of Denmark’s arable land is dedicated to this land-use system.

Key barriers include a lack of integrated policy support, economic incentives that favour conventional farming, limited knowledge sharing, and insufficient stakeholder engagement. Overcoming these obstacles is critical to unlocking agroforestry’s potential to foster a more sustainable agricultural system.

A strategic opportunity
The recent three-party agreement on Denmark’s green transition aims to establish 250,000 hectares of new forest by 2045.

These large-scale forestry plans present a unique and strategic opportunity to incorporate agroforestry within Denmark’s landscape strategy and advance Denmark’s objectives for sustainable land use, biodiversity conservation, and climate action. The potential benefits could extend to improved habitat connectivity, enhanced biodiversity and ecosystem services. Agroforestry could also help diversify land use by integrating agricultural activities with forest conservation efforts.

Actionable recommendations
This project will synthesize evidence, engage stakeholders, analyze policy frameworks, and pilot innovative agroforestry systems. It explores how historical precedents, economic structures, and current policy frameworks hinder or enable the adoption of agroforestry. It will identify actionable recommendations for aligning agroforestry practices with national strategies under the Planetary Boundaries framework.

The project will contribute to capacity building by fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and developing expertise. Furthermore, it will generate actionable insights for public sector services aligning directly with the objectives of Denmark’s three-party agreement.