The agroecological transition toward sustainable agricultural and food systems is essential to ensure future food production, particularly in the face of climate uncertainties. The combination of farming systems, such as agroforestry, is one of the key elements of this transition. They provide beneficial effects in terms of soil and water conservation, carbon sequestration, and improved ecosystem services, thereby promoting the sustainable use of land. The use of fruit trees resistant to unfavorable environmental conditions caused by climate change is crucial to support agroforestry systems. In this regard, the fig tree (Ficus carica L.) has a remarkable ability to adapt to dry, calcareous, and saline environments, making it extremely valuable for promoting agroforestry in the Mediterranean region.
This project aims to:
a) Harness the potential of the fig tree by testing this crop within agroforestry systems across different demonstration sites, where we will assess and quantify the benefits in terms of productivity and soil fertility, analyzing soil characteristics from both chemical and microbiological perspectives.
b) Promote the adoption of agroforestry: (b1) through the organisation of living labs with stakeholders, enabling knowledge exchange in a participatory context and providing technical assistance to overcome barriers to successful agroforestry adoption; (b2) by establishing links with policymakers and market actors to improve access to credit and markets for agroforestry products.
AGROFIG can be considered the natural continuation of a previous PRIMA project (2019 call) named FIGGEN, in which several fig genotypes were analyzed and a selection of cultivars adapted to drought and salinity conditions was achieved. Within AGROFIG, some of these selected genotypes will be tested on agroforestry demonstration sites to showcase the benefits of fig-based agroforestry systems.
