As part of the Green Deal, the European Commission set the goal of making the agriculture, forestry and land use sectors climate neutral by 2035. Agroforestry (AF) is an important component of this process: its impact on climate change adaptation and mitigation, biodiversity conservation, soil protection and agricultural sustainability make it the best candidate to trigger change. However, agroforestry faces several barriers, such as economic feasibility and institutional resistance. DigitAF aims at mainstreaming the use of agroforestry throughout Europe. 

DigitAF creates the right conditions for the implementation of cutting edge agroforestry to unlock its full potential. In doing so, the project addresses the knowledge gaps that prevent its widespread adoption. The project pays particular attention to include newly generated knowledge to relevant actors, including policymakers, practitioners and beneficiaries of agroforestry products and services. 

A user-centred and multi-actor approach was developed by setting up six Living Labs (Netherlands, Italy, Czech Republic, Finland, Germany, UK). The latter fill the DigitAF database and work on their own region-specific questions. This knowledge is then formalised into models that form the basis for practical tools. Testing of new technologies will take place in ‘lifelong learning’ or on demonstration farms.