Agroforestry and ecological intensification

The agricultural and forestry sectors are currently facing the dramatic trilemma of producing food, energy and wood for a growing world population, while preserving the environment at the same time. Agroforestry systems are able to address those issues by integrating crops and/or grazing animals with woody perennials on the same land unit, which results in ecological intensification of productivity and higher and synergic use efficiency of natural resources and cultural inputs. In Italy, there is a long tradition of agroforestry systems, but the modernization of agriculture and society has led to a great reduction in their adoption. Both the residual traditional agroforestry systems (about 1.4 million ha) and the modern ones currently studied, can contribute to food and wood security, while significantly maintaining the most relevant local and global ecosystem services (soil erosion, phytoremediation, biodiversity, carbon sequestration) in the current context of climate change