Silvopastoral agroforestry systems for dryland corners in Canterbury farms

Potential future water constraints on dry areas of Canterbury farms, combined with existing animal welfare requirements, have spurred interest in practices such as agroforestry that can help future proof farming. Agroforestry is the deliberate integration of trees within a livestock grazing system. We surveyed farmers to investigate their understanding of agroforestry, including enablers and barriers to change; and conducted a literature review to identify key agroforestry concepts. We partnered with Ngāi Tahu Farming and Claxby Farms in Canterbury Region to co-develop agroforestry planting plans and completed economic analysis of the agroforestry component of each farm. We also identified other unquantifiable potential benefits of integrating trees on farms.

We found that the agroforestry systems designed have positive net present value, internal rate of return, and a positive post carbon income annual cashflow. We have demonstrated that agroforestry is potentially economically viable in Canterbury. Agroforestry systems can be designed to align with the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme (NZ ETS) and in turn this would provide financial incentives for establishing trees on dryland corners.

The quantified economic outcomes and the identified unquantified benefits warrant further research into integrating agroforestry into dairy and other farming systems around New Zealand.