Background and Research Approach

Agroforestry is widely regarded as a promising approach to addressing global land-use challenges. By integrating trees with crops or livestock, agroforestry systems can enhance the resilience of agricultural landscapes while reconciling competing demands for land use. Despite these benefits, agroforestry adoption remains limited.

Rather than assuming that farmers adopt agroforestry solely in response to financial incentives, our research takes a novel perspective by focusing on farmers’ personal values. While research indicates that policies which take into account the values of farmers are more effective, studies in this area are limited. We are the first to investigate the personal values of the previously unrecorded populations of German and British agroforestry farmers (n = 40 and n = 31, respectively), using Shalom H. Schwartz’s 21-Item Portrait Values Questionnaire in online surveys. As political goals related to agroforestry expansion in both Germany and the United Kingdom depend on farmers’ willingness to engage with such systems, this approach aims to support policy-makers in designing more effective and targeted incentive structures.

Role of the Short-Term Scientific Mission

Although data collection and statistical analyses had already been completed prior to the research stay, the Short-Term Scientific Mission provided a valuable opportunity to critically discuss the initial findings and their interpretation. The exchange facilitated a genuine co-learning process, allowing theoretical assumptions, methodological choices, and result interpretations to be carefully reflected upon. This collaboration substantially improved the quality, robustness, and potential impact of the article and its conclusions.

Scientific Exchange & Integration

During the stay, I was fully integrated into the host department, including access to a dedicated workspace, which enabled continuous academic exchange on agroforestry and related research topics. I was given the opportunity to present our study and preliminary findings to the department and to engage in in-depth discussions with British experts in the field. These discussions provided valuable feedback and alternative perspectives that informed subsequent revisions of the manuscript. In addition, my host supervisor offered to review the article following the research stay, an opportunity I gratefully accepted.

Organization, Framework Conditions & Outlook

The short-term scientific mission was organised professionally and smoothly by the Competence Centre Landscape Resilience. The application process was straightforward and responses were provided promptly. While it was not possible to estimate the costs of the stay for each individual matter of expense precisely, this was not an issue so long as the final expense remained within the expected range.

The mission resulted in a substantial enhancement of the third research manuscript of my PhD, primarily through the incorporation of a British perspective. The manuscript is scheduled for submission within the current year.

• I was given the unique opportunity to present and discuss our research with British experts.
• The mission has facilitated collaboration on the manuscript, thereby enhancing its quality and impact.
• The opportunity to experience a different scientific environment and the distinctive atmosphere of Oxford was particularly inspiring and will remain a lasting memory.