International agroforestry conference in Arlamow, Poland, 13-15th May, 2024 – report of a participating farmer

International agroforestry conference in Arlamow, Poland, 13-15th May, 2024 – report of a participating farmer

An international scientific conference entitled “Agroforestry – sustainable system of agricultural and forest management” was held in Arlamow on May 13 -15, 2024. The event was organized by the Jan Grodek State University in Sanok, with strong financial support from the state budget, granted by the Minister of Science Education under the “Excellent Science II” Program.

I had an opportunity to attend the conference as a representative of farmers and Polish Agroforestry Association (OSA). The main objective of the conference was to disseminate up-to-date knowledge on agroforestry. Personally, I believe that the goal was achieved within the Podkarpackie and Malopolska regions (SE Poland). Moreover, it was possible to establish a dialogue with foresters. The very title of the meeting initially aroused mixed feelings in me. After all, agroforestry is not an agricultural land management system, but the inclusion of foresters in a broad discussion was a hit. It enabled a broad discussion at the interface between agriculture and forestry.

The meeting covered a wide range of topics, with 16 papers and many panel discussions including topics of opportunities and barriers to the development of agroforestry systems in Poland and Europe and the impact of agroforestry systems on improving biodiversity and rural development. 

The invited guests showed great merit and openness to discussion. There were also some new ideas for joint scientific research. Worth noting is the way of organization and the special place of the meeting. The Arłamow Hotel (4 stars) located in the heart of the Przemyskie Foothills, integrated into the surrounding forests, away from cities, offers excellent working conditions. After work, you can relax on hiking tours or in the swimming pool and sauna complex. As a participant, I felt fully taken care of during the conference. The organizers also made sure there was time for integration and tasting of agroforestry products.

I welcomed the proposal of cooperation of the Jan Grodek UP in Sanok with our Polish Agroforestry Association (OSA) in order to organize next year’s conference. The cooperation also seems promising in the context of EURAF. Details and a funding application for the next meeting will be discussed later this May.

Marcin Wójcik

Farmer, OSA Management Board member