Attitudes of farm managers and other stakeholders towards silvoarable alley-cropping agro-forestry systems in Germany: An empirical analysis using expert interviews

作者：Langenberg Josef^*; Rauert Marten; Theuvsen Ludwig

来源：Berichte uber Landwirtschaft, 2018, 96(2).

Arable farming in Germany is dominated by full-area field management. Establishing woody strips in the arable acreage as part of Alley Cropping agroforestry systems can break up large-scale structures, increase biodiversity, reduce soil erosion and nutrient leaching, and can thus generate positive external effects. In Germany, despite their many advantages, agroforestry systems are used to an almost insignificant extent only. To answer the question as to why this land use is hardly implemented in Germany, despite its many advantages, and to clarify which conditions should be fulfilled or which incentives should be provided to encourage agroforestry, 13 farm managers, six agricultural employees and four land tenants were interviewed. The results show that, in principle, the majority of the farm managers surveyed - in particular those who dispose of sandy sites - can imagine agroforestry systems on their agricultural land. Most of the employees and lessors have no reservations about agroforestry either. Given comparatively high implementation costs coupled with long durations and late financial returns, many farm managers require financial support to implement agroforestry systems. They also call for raising the greening factor for alternative land use and for a simplification of the agricultural application for agroforestry systems. Combined with the existing legal framework of the European Union, the results have manifold implications for the future design of flanking support measures.

• 出版日期2018-8