The project aims to establish a strong network among various stakeholders interested in agroforestry, including farmers, scientists, and government representatives. Climate change presents major challenges for agriculture in Germany, particularly due to a significant decline in precipitation.

Agroforestry systems offer a promising solution as a sustainable land management approach. By strategically integrating trees and shrubs, they can enhance ecosystem services and promote crop diversification.

Our Soil-Plant Systems research group is responsible for the scientific monitoring of biomass storage and microclimate within the MODEMA project. On the one hand, we investigate the climate change mitigation potential of agroforestry systems and analyze under which conditions—such as tree species selection and management strategies—carbon storage can be maximized. On the other hand, we study how agroforestry systems influence the microclimate. Factors such as wind, temperature, humidity, and shade are affected by the presence of trees. Our research aims to quantify and understand the positive effects of agroforestry on water availability within agricultural systems.

Project website: https://agroforst-info.de/modema/
Project duration: 2024 - 2028
Current project management and research at BTU: Prof. Louise Rütting, Dmitrii Khaliullin
Former research associate: Dr. Christian Böhm
Funding source:BMEL (FNR)