Agroforestry and Water Management: An overview of current frameworks, strategies and key actors

The current policy framework for agroforestry is insufficient for widespread practical adoption. Although agroforestry is increasingly included in policies and funding strategies, it remains unclear whether this support is enough to implement systems effectively or compensate farmers for the public benefits they provide. Additionally, land use and water management policies are often disconnected and lack transparency, leading to conflicting goals and incoherent instruments. It is uncertain whether new legal frameworks will improve policy coherence or provide better support.

This Deliverable 7.1 outlines key political and regulatory elements at the European level and then examines the agroforestry–water relationship in the AFaktive project regions: Rhineland-Palatinate and Saxony-Anhalt (Germany), Flanders and Wallonia (Belgium), and the Netherlands. Each regional chapter discusses projected climate change impacts, current agroforestry status, and water body conditions. It reviews national and regional legislation, focusing on how agriculture and water management are addressed together and whether synergies are being used. The report also explores how agroforestry is considered in agricultural policy and the Water Framework Directive, and evaluates the roles of authorities, NGOs, and research institutions. Finally, it discusses challenges and opportunities for better aligning agroforestry with water management both within the project and beyond.