State of the Art: There is very little knowledge on the suitability of possible AF systems for Swiss farms neither on how to plan and realise such projects.
Definition of the problem: Several Swiss Farmes seek for environmental friendly alternatives to intensive crop or animal production. They try to combine classical agricultural production and performances to improve wild-life biodiversity and the human leisure value of the landscape. Agroforesty methods can be very useful in this respect.
Project aims: To define the possibilities, limits and the ecological and economical impact of defined AF systems under the conditions of commercial Swiss farms.
Methodology: On different pilot farms, each is representing a particular case with well defined farm goals, we help to plan and realize AF systems. Parameters to quantify the economic and ecologic success are defined and measured regularly to document the process.
Results, conclusion, state of the art: After several years of literature and theoretical studies, in 2005 for 4 different pilot farms plans to establish AF systems have been worked out. On one farm realisation has begun.
