On 2 and 3 February 2026, the HALE partners met in Granada, Spain, for the project’s first meeting. Hosted by OnProjects, the two-day gathering gave the partners an opportunity to get to know one another, share experiences from their different countries and plan the first steps of their work together.
The meeting opened with a workshop on agroforestry and animal welfare, with perspectives from Serbia, Czechia, Spain and Slovenia. We discussed grazing practices, how trees and shrubs can provide shade and shelter for livestock, and the challenges farmers face when incorporating them into their farms. We also explored how to select case studies that offer practical lessons, demonstrate benefits for animal welfare and could be adapted to other European settings.
Our mission at HALE is to help farmers integrate trees and shrubs into livestock farming in ways that improve animal welfare and support healthier ecosystems. To make these practices easier to understand and apply, we will develop practical training for farmers, advisers and vocational educators, drawing on farming experiences from across Europe. This training will consider animals’ needs alongside the wider effects of farming on the environment, following the One Health approach, which recognises that animal, human and environmental health are closely connected.
Comparing farming conditions during the workshop helped us identify what our training needs to take into account. Differences in landscapes, livestock systems and access to grazing land showed why advice needs to allow for local circumstances. These exchanges gave us a clearer starting point for gathering examples that reflect the range of situations farmers face.
HALE’s first activities will bring farmers, experts, advisers and policymakers together in focus groups, alongside farm visits and interviews. This direct exchange will help us understand how agroforestry works in different farming settings and what it can offer animals and farmers. The findings will feed into our case study handbook, practical guides, video lessons and recommendations for policymakers.
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