Joanne Smith

MVARC

Dr. Joanne Smith, Senior Researcher, has been working in the field of sustainable agriculture research for over 20 years, with a strong focus on the impact of agriculture on biodiversity and vice versa. Between 2010 and 2020, she developed the agroforestry program at the Organic Research Centre (ORC) in the United Kingdom, researching new agroforestry systems, such as the combination of short rotation coppice with livestock, as well as how to better utilize existing woody resources, such as hedges, by introducing a productive element like bioenergy and tree forages. Her research covered many aspects, from the impacts of agroforestry on biodiversity, soil health, productivity, and economy, to working closely with pioneering farmers, to consider more practical issues around the design, establishment, and management of agroforestry. Through her involvement in various European projects, Dr. Joanne Smith has established strong connections with researchers across Europe. She is also an associate editor of the Agroforestry Systems journal. Now working in a very different context (MVARC), where climate change is having a strong impact on agriculture, her attention is focused on the role of agroforests in buffering climate extremes and on how to increase the resilience of these systems through increased diversity.