The idea of Agroforestry is to introduce rows of trees into the area devoted to agricultural production, either animal (sylvo-pastoralism) or plant (agroforestry, for annual crops or perennials).
This principle of intercropping, which was found in traditional orchard fields or mixed crops (trees and vines) is an ancient practice and is still widespread in tropical or Mediterranean countries -- typical examples are Huertas et Dehesas in Spain or Montados in Portugal. The aim is primarily to control climatic excesses, whether they be too much rain or too much sunshine.
Agroforestry is a sure path to combat economic and environmental challenges in the future and agro-ecological and agricultural issues such as climate change, input costs and water conservation.
This very simple idea, which embodies good countryside sense, aims to make the most of the complementary needs of trees and crops, provided of course that the one and the other are perfectly suited to the terroir.
Modern agro-sylvi-cultivation takes into account the technical constraints associated with the mechanisation of growing crops (spacing of the rows of trees, pruning, clearing headlands etc) and optimises the many economic and environmental interests offered by this type of integrated management.
A well-designed and well-tended agroforestry plot has higher productivity than crop rotation where each species is grown separately.
The benefit of this synergy has been shown in various research programmes over the past ten years. Even more encouraging, these results are only just the beginning. Increased biodiversity, soil improvement and climate effects mainly due to the presence of trees improve the potential of the plot in regard to the behaviour of water and plant health.
The cultivation and yield of agricultural plants and trees can only be optimised, a simple logic that flies in the face of many preconceptions.
Agroforestry is a bold response to agro-economic, agro-ecological and agro-technical challenges, producing a modern and sustainable system of agriculture.
This is why we have 100 hectares of agroforestry under plantation today in major crops and 10 hectares of vines. We intend to plant further areas.
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