On October 8, 2025, the AgriDENZ project hosted an online workshop on Agroforestry on Grasslands: Global Perspectives and Practices.
Andreas Gattinger from the Justus Liebig University in Gießen, Germany, presented German agroforestry systems, their history, their current state and gave a glimpse into their possible future. Since the Middle Ages, agroforestry gradually declined as advances in agricultural management and changing economic dependencies reduced the need for such systems. As a result, the area of agricultural land managed under agroforestry declined sharply, with currently less than 0.015% of the potentially suitable agricultural area in Germany under this form of management. Today, there is a growing trend among farmers to adopt agroforestry practices once more; however, uptake remains below expectations due to limited support structures, current legal frameworks, low acceptance, and limited awareness among agricultural stakeholders.
Sam McNally and David Whitehead from the Bioeconomy Science Institute - Manaaki Whenua - Landcare research, New Zealand, then presented changes in soil carbon stocks when trees are established into the grasslands of New Zealand. They found that this measure can enhance carbon stocks with potential gains extending below 0.6 m depth. The extent of potential carbon sequestration depends on factors such as tree species, spatial arrangement, and resource availability. Beyond carbon storage, trees provide multiple co-benefits. Current research priorities include investigating microbial functions, scaling and modelling carbon stock changes under climate scenarios, assessing co-benefits and adoption barriers, and informing optimal landscape design.
Carolina Viñoles from INIA, Uruguay, delivered the final presentation, in which she discussed silvopastoral systems for sustainable livestock farming in Uruguay. The increasing frequency of extreme weather events and concerns over the sustainability of livestock production pose significant threats to farmers’ economic viability. Silvopastoral systems offer an alternative to reconcile production with conservation. She presented the current distribution of more than 6,000 hectares of agroforestry systems, outlined the associated legal requirements, and highlighted ongoing research efforts developed through collaborations between academia, producers, and government agencies.
You can watch the recording of the online workshop here: https://youtu.be/Q5JSS5710AU
