Productivity and Economic Evaluation of Agroforestry Systems for Sustainable Production of Food and Non-Food Products

Lisa Mølgaard Lehmann, Jo Smith, Sally Westaway, Andrea Pisanelli, Giuseppe Russo, Robert Borek, Mignon Sandor, Adrian Gliga, Laurence Smith and Bhim Bahadur Ghaley
Additional contact information
Lisa Mølgaard Lehmann: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Allé 30, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark
Jo Smith: The Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury RG20 0HR, UK
Sally Westaway: The Organic Research Centre, Elm Farm, Hamstead Marshall, Newbury RG20 0HR, UK
Andrea Pisanelli: National Research Council, Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Italy
Giuseppe Russo: National Research Council, Institute of Research on Terrestrial Ecosystems, Via Marconi 2, 05010 Porano, Italy
Robert Borek: Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation—State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Mignon Sandor: University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur, 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Adrian Gliga: University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Cluj-Napoca, Calea Manastur, 3-5, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Laurence Smith: School for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 6JS, UK
Bhim Bahadur Ghaley: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegård Allé 30, 2630 Taastrup, Denmark

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: Agroforestry systems have multifunctional roles in enhancing agronomic productivity, co-production of diversity of food and non-food products and provision of ecosystem services. The knowledge of the performance of agroforestry systems compared with monoculture is scarce and scattered. Hence, the objective of the study was to analyze the agronomic productivity and economic viability of diverse agroforestry systems in Europe. A network of five agroforestry systems integrating arable crops, livestock and biomass trees was investigated to assess the range of agricultural products in each agroforestry system. Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was used to measure the agronomic productivity, whereas gross margin was used as an indicator for economic viability assessment. LER values ranged from 1.36–2.00, indicating that agroforestry systems were more productive by 36–100% compared to monocultures. Agroforestry gross margin was lower in Denmark (€112 ha −1 year −1 ) compared to United Kingdom (€5083 ha −1 year −1 ) and the crop component yielded higher returns compared to negative returns from the tree component in agroforestry. Hence, the study provided robust field-based evidence on agronomic productivity and economic viability assessment of agroforestry systems in diverse contexts for informed decision making by land managers, advisory services, farmers and policymakers.

Keywords: agroforestry; land equivalent ratio; gross margin; economic viability; ecosystem services (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (9)

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