March 9, 2026 by University of Reading
Collected at: https://phys.org/news/2026-03-farms-tree-friendly-boost-food.html
Farmers could turn more of the UK’s farmland into productive agroforestry systems if they had access to trusted advice and real farm examples, according to new research from the University of Reading. Dr. Amelia Hood, from the Department of Sustainable Land Management at the University of Reading, worked with 220 stakeholders including farmers, policymakers and NGOs to identify why agroforestry is still rare in the UK, despite strong interest from farmers and government funding for tree planting.
The research found that a key barrier to adopting agroforestry is that farmers don’t have the knowledge they need to implement and manage it. Many farmers want to see working examples of agroforestry in their area, before committing to new methods with long-term implications for farm management. The findings are published in the journal People and Nature.
Dr. Hood said, “We’re seeing strong interest in agroforestry, but interest isn’t the same as implementation. Farmers need opportunities to learn from real farm examples and support to develop business cases.
“Agroforestry is one of the few farming approaches that can deliver meaningful environmental benefits while maintaining, or even increasing, food production. These recommendations could help unlock its potential to support food security, benefits for nature, and progress towards lower emissions.”
A scheme showing the 10 steps in the educational agenda divided into three categories. These steps are not chronological and can be implemented in parallel. Credit: People and Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70219
A network of agroforestry demonstration farms
Agroforestry integrates trees into crop or livestock farming. Trees in fields support climate resilience, biodiversity and soil health, while maintaining food output. Yet only around 3% of UK agricultural land currently uses agroforestry.
In response to farmers’ calls for real-world evidence, Dr. Hood established the Trees-in-fields Network, a long-term national research program bringing together demonstration farms across the UK to test different tree species and crops under real farming conditions. This will also help to address key research gaps around how to manage and implement agroforestry effectively, and Dr. Hood’s research published in Agronomy for Sustainable Development has identified that there are many of these.
Stakeholders also highlighted that trust in existing agricultural advice is low, and that the UK has lower rates of formal agricultural training than other European countries. The project recommends developing an agroforestry accreditation scheme and government-funded education programs to address this.
Timber and biomass benefits
In a separate University of Reading study, also published this month, researchers modeled what would happen if agroforestry were scaled up across England and Wales. The research found that agroforestry could substantially boost domestic production of fruit, timber and biomass, all products that the UK currently imports in large quantities. The work is published in Agricultural Systems.
However, this would come with trade-offs, as food energy production could fall by 3–45% depending on tree type and density, with vegetables and cereals most affected. Livestock grazing systems would be least impacted.
Dr. Tom Staton, lead author of the modeling study, said, “Most agroforestry systems are more productive overall than equivalent monocultures, especially in pasture-based systems. But widespread adoption would need to be accompanied by broader food system changes, such as reducing waste and shifts in dietary patterns.
“Together, these new studies show that agroforestry could play a far bigger role in the UK’s farming future – strengthening fruit and timber production, improving biodiversity and soil health, and increasing resilience to climate change. By investing in trusted advice, practical education and long-term research, the UK can help farmers confidently adopt tree-based systems that deliver benefits for people, nature and the national food supply.”
Publication details
Amelia S. C. Hood et al, Identifying knowledge barriers to agroforestry adoption and co‐designing solutions to them, People and Nature (2025). DOI: 10.1002/pan3.70219
Amelia S. C. Hood et al, Co-designing a research agenda for UK agroforestry using a multi-actor approach, Agronomy for Sustainable Development (2026). DOI: 10.1007/s13593-026-01089-8
Tom Staton et al, Modelling the production impacts of scaling up agroforestry systems in England and Wales, Agricultural Systems (2026). DOI: 10.1016/j.agsy.2026.104651
Journal information: People and Nature
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