Using Digital Tools for Agroforestry Advice: Lessons from the UK Community of Practice

As part of the UK Community of Practice on agroforestry, tested through the Abacus Agri Climate Smart Advisor Team CPD, this practice addresses the challenge of providing consistent, evidence-based agroforestry advice. Agroforestry advisors are expected to cover system design, establishment, management, carbon and biodiversity outcomes, and scheme compliance, but doing this efficiently requires practical and repeatable tools.

The experience showed that advisors can work more effectively by using a small set of open-access digital tools that cover four core needs: (1) site constraints and opportunities, (2) tree and shrub species choice, (3) baseline mapping and monitoring, and (4) peer examples. Suggested toolkit examples include AgroforesTreeAdvice for tree species, varieties, and rootstocks matched to site constraints; the LPIS Sustainability Compass (LUCIM) for parcel context, land cover, and Copernicus-based indicators to support baseline assessment and targeting; and the Agroforestry Map of Europe and Gallery for peer examples, layouts, and contacts to sense-check designs and learn from practice.

In practice, Climate Smart Advisors should first define the agroforestry system, such as silvoarable, silvopastoral, orchards, or hedgerows. They should then identify the stage of enterprise development: scoping, design, establishment, or management. Mapping tools can be used to screen constraints and opportunities, species tools to shortlist options, and example maps to test layout and management choices with the farmer. Advisors should capture outputs, including maps, assumptions, and actions, and provide a clear follow-up report to the client. This approach supports faster and more consistent advice, provides stronger evidence for grant or investment decisions, and enables clearer conversations with farmers about trade-offs, performance, and monitoring.