The Intensive Programme of study on “Management of agroforestry systems:
ecological, social and economic approaches” resulted from the recognition of the
growing importance of agroforestry systems in the European context, in
particular, silvopastoral systems in the south of Europe. The European roadmap
towards low carbon economy within the 2050 horizon creates enormous
challenges for the agriculture sector in terms of its modernization and
reconversion for which agroforestry systems are essential technological and
sustainable production solutions.
At the global scale, challenges resulting from escalating demand for animal and
forest products, effects of climate change, loss of natural capital and the search
for sustainable development solutions strengthen the importance of agroforestry
systems. Several international organizations, among which the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF)
and the European Union (EU), have been promoting the development and
implementation of these systems. Also, within the context of the United Nations,
several conventions – biological diversity, climate change, soil conservation –
force deep changes to be made in production systems, to which agroforestry
systems are indispensable references.
The intensive learning programme on “Management of agroforestry systems:
ecological, social and economic approaches” was funded by the European
Comission through the ERASMUS program (2013-1-PT1-ERA10-16673-
PBRAGANC01). The Intensive Programme took place in Bragança, Portugal, from
March 30 to April 12, 2014, and was organized by the Instituto Politécnico de
Bragança in collaboration with the Universidad de Santiago de Compostela,
Universidad da Extremadura, and Universidad de Oviedo, in Spain, and the
Università degli studi di Bari Aldo Moro, in Italy. The objective of the programme was to share with first and second cycle
students from Portugal, Spain and Italy knowledge about implementation and
management of agroforestry systems, in particular silvopastoral systems,
considering production, economic, environmental and socio-cultural aspects. The
programme was an opportunity to discuss practical and theoretical issues
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related to agroforestry systems in different environmental backgrounds,
particularly in Atlantic and Mediterrenean regions of the Iberian Peninsula. The
programme made it also possible to the intervening institutions to establish
cooperation partnerships within the scope of scientific research and knowledge
transfer, with emphasis on the production of knowledge on silvopastoral
systems materialized in this book. The content of this book corresponds to lectures taught in the programme by the
researchers and professors subjected to a peer reviewing process; we would like
therefore to acknowledge all authors, reviewers and institutions involved in the
Intensive Programme and in this book by their collaboration and the ERASMUS
Programme by the financial support provided that made it possible to organize
this course on “Management of agroforestry systems: ecological, social and
economic approaches”.
