How to make agroforestry pay off? Using its values to create economic incentive pathways

This uncertainty about the profitability of agroforestry systems is considered one of the main barriers preventing futher adoption by farmers. Therefore, in this study, we brainstormed about different schemes, mechanisms and arrangements that could onvert the benefits and values of agroforestry into direct economic incentives for farmers. Throughout three focus groups a range of different mechanisms were indentified, which were classified in three different groups: government schemes, market schemes and community-based schemes. In Flanders, currently only some of the mechanisms, mainly government mechanisms are put in place. However, some of the mechanisms could represent new economic pathways that reinforce the impact of the already existing mechanisms. Further development and tailoring of these different economic pathways can therefore help to turn AF into a more solid economic investment for farmers.