The Czech Republic, a pioneer in agroforestry within the European Union

PRAHA – On August 13th, two members of the IUAF board, Jakub Houska and Patrick Worms, its President, met with the Minister of Agriculture of the Czech Republic, Marek Výborný, and his deputy, Miroslav Skřivánek, at the Ministry in Prague. The Czech Republic, a pioneer in agroforestry within the European Union, has seen significant benefits from this practice.

These benefits include improved animal welfare, soil fertility, and climate resiliency, leading to a long-term viable and productive agricultural sector. For this reason, IUAF commissioned an Afforestation Feasibility map study of Czechia earlier this year, exhibiting potential for
further expansion in all of the Republic’s 14 regions. The policy options developed by Czech agroforesters, in collaboration with the Ministry and supported by EURAF, have resulted in Czechia being one of only nine of the 27 EU Member States with an explicit support program
for agroforestry. This program has exceeded expectations, with agroforestry support requests surpassing forecasts by over 300%.

These benefits contribute to the sustainability of Czech agriculture in the long term and align with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions within the global framework to tackle climate change. So Jakub and Patrick congratulated Minister Výborný on this pioneering
progress. They expressed their sincere appreciation for his patronage of the 7th European Agroforestry Conference, where he was joined by the Czech minister of the environment, Petr Hladík. This conference, held at Mendel University in Brno in May 2024, represents a significant step forward in promoting agroforestry practices across Europe and beyond.

Minister Výborný’s support is not just crucial, it’s integral in advancing agroforestry initiatives and fostering international collaboration for agroecological development. His support is a cornerstone of our success and we deeply value his contribution.
IUAF is pleased to have opened discussions focused on the Czech Republic’s commitments to agroforestry and how Czechia might contribute and participate in IUAF operations and the 6th World Congress on Agroforestry (WCA6 – scheduled for May 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda).

The IUAF, as a leading organization in agroforestry, plays a crucial role in advancing research and promoting best practices. Notably, the IUAF is interested in supporting young emerging Czech and African researchers and students to the WCA6, as their participation will contribute to the global dialogue on agroforestry. In Czechia, which is governed by a coalition, the Foreign Ministry is headed by a member of the Pirate Party, which has its roots in Internet libertarianism. The party prides itself on developing original ideas and an ethos of straightforward, practical tools to pursue them. They are thus bound to recognize the extraordinary promise of agroforestry in transforming the prospects of global agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity in the context of the growing climate crisis. 

The Czech Republic, under the leadership of Minister Výborný and his deputy, has the potential to become a European leader and a global leader in promoting some of the most resilience-boosting agricultural management methods. This potential is a testament to their vision and commitment to Agroforestry, and it should inspire all EU policymakers to strive for even more significant achievements in this field.