Fostering Resilient Agroforestry Systems with climate-ready Tree and Herbaceous Germplasm – FORECAST

FORECAST will deliver new sustainable solutions for the revitalization of agroforestry systems in the Mediterranean region. An innovative strategy will be implemented, based on the use of highly resilient, locally-adapted orphan legumes and dedicated seed technology into existing agroforestry systems, addressing a range of different socioeconomic/pedoclimatic conditions across the Mediterranean Area. Precision farming techniques will be integrated with traditional practices. The FORECAST strategy will allow to overcome barriers to adoption and scaling up of the new deployed AF practices. A multi-actor approach will be adopted to accomplish the real requirements of stakeholders/end-users, allowing their active involvement in co-creating opportunities/technical solutions to needs/problems/challenges.
FORECAST is a multidisciplinary project, resulting from the synergic interaction of 11 Partners (Academia, Industry, Research Entities, R&D+I non-profit Associations) from seven countries (Italy, France, Tunisia, Algeria, Portugal, Germany, Cyprus. The FORECAST Consortium represents an interdisciplinary network (agroforestry, agronomy, precision agriculture/digital science, plant/soil science, seed/food technology, plant breeding/agroecology, climate/socio-economics sciences) that will link stakeholders’ knowledge and contribute to public/social engagement to boost the adoption of improved agroforestry systems bringing the beneficial contribution (enhanced climate resilience and nutritional value) of orphan legumes. The issues of gender roles in agroforestry and orphan legumes value chains will be addressed in the FORECAST project to secure opportunities for women’s empowerment.