What is Syntropic Agroforestry?

Chapter 1: What is Syntropic Agroforestry?

Introduction: Setting the Stage

Agriculture, as we know it, is facing a crossroads. Globally, we’re seeing increasing soil degradation, rising temperatures, unpredictable weather patterns, and the loss of biodiversity—all of which threaten our ability to feed the world sustainably. Conventional farming, often relying on soil tillage, monocrops, synthetic fertilizers, fungicides, and pesticides, has made these issues worse. The very systems that are meant to feed people and animals are now rapidly depleting the resource base upon which they depend.

But what if there was a way to reverse this trend—a way to grow food that actually heals degraded soil, promotes biodiversity, and sequesters carbon? What if there was a way to use farming to restore habitats, create savanna and forests, and provide a good income to the farmer while doing it? This is where syntropic agroforestry comes in.

Syntropic agroforestry is not just a method of farming; it’s a new way of thinking about how we interact with the land. It’s about creating resilient, self-sustaining ecosystems that produce food, restore soil, and support biodiversity. By recognizing and utilizing the natural processes of forests, syntropic agroforestry creates systems that work with nature instead of against it. But what exactly does that mean? And why is this practice so critical for our future?

Defining Syntropic Agroforestry

Syntropic agroforestry is a regenerative approach to land management that blends agriculture with ecological restoration. Unlike traditional agriculture or other forms of agroforestry, which often focuses on maximizing yields from a narrow range of crops, syntropic agroforestry prioritizes diversity, plant density, and heavy use of support species that may not provide marketable crops to the farmer. Syntropic agroforestry is an intensive process-based from of agroforestry, rather than 'plant some trees in a field and wait for them to grow.' While intensive management may seem inefficient, the reality is that natural ecosystems like forests are incredibly efficient systems that are sustainable over long periods, unlike the destructive practices of so-called-traditional agriculture that have undermined the global food system and destabilized the climate in just a few short decades. Syntropic agroforestry, through careful planning, designs agricultural systems that imitate resilient ecosystems, increasing biodiversity, regenerating degraded land, and helping farmers remain productive through wild changes in climate and catastrophic weather events.

So what is syntropic agroforestry? In short it is a specifc set of agricultural design, planting, and management practices. In the broadest sense, it's just a farming methodology. It's complex, as it consists of a constellation of interrelated methods and practices that complement and reinforce one another, but it's not complicated. So what does that look like in terms of real world stuff like trees and plants? Syntropic agroforestry typically consists of multiple layers of crops planted right next to each other, often growing over the tops of each other — picture ground cover plants growing under berry bushes that are growing under fruit trees that are growing under large canopy trees. Now picture many such stacks of plants laid out in rows, just like rows of corn or garden vegetables in a field. Often called "tree lines" or "tree rows," these densely planted rows of trees and plants are the architecture within which food can be grown while still allowing ecological processes and relationships of natural forest to unfold.

Plant diversity is of utmost importance in such an agricultural architecture - it can't be the same species planted over and over right next to each other, as that would be reduplicating the reductionist monocropping that has got modern agriculture into the mess that it's in. Rather, the plant associations (often referred to as a 'consortium' of plants) are varied in their species makeup, and that variation is distributed down the rows and across the rows. There's a slogan in syntropic agroforestry - "Repetition of the same is forbidden" - and in practice syntropic farming consists of repetition of differences. It can be kept simple, with a small handful of consortia (the plural of consortium), repeated again and again in an alternating pattern. For example three consortia (A,B, and C) consisting of five species each, arranged down the rows in an A-B-C-A-B-C pattern, with a crop of grain or vegetables planted in the space between the rows: that's 16 species total including the inter-row crop. Within each consortium, each plant species serves a unique role: some provide food crops, others improve soil fertility, some provide shade for understory plants, and still others are there simply for cutting down to provide mulch and keep any bare soil covered. In this system, all the plants “work” together to create a thriving, productive landscape.

Now compare the above example to the traditional agroforestry practice known as alley cropping, wherein rows of a single species of tree are planted widely spaced into a monocrop field of grain or vegetables, a typical example of which you often see is rows of walnuts planted in wheat fields. It's only two species, walnuts and wheat, and that simplicity comes at a cost: it lacks the resilience of a diverse agro-ecosystem, and the monocrop grain component still annually requires destructive management practices.

The Origins and Philosophy

The roots of syntropic agroforestry can be traced back to Ernst Götsch, a Swiss agronomist who moved to Brazil in the 1980s. Götsch was inspired by the complexity and resilience of natural ecosystems, particularly tropical forests. Over decades of research and experimentation, he developed syntropic agroforestry, a system designed to replicate these forest ecosystems and restore damaged land. At his farm in the Bahia region of Brazil, Götsch transformed degraded land that had been clear-cut and grazed half to death into a thriving, biodiverse system. The before and after pictures are breathtaking to see what he has achieved. By planting a variety of crops and trees, Götsch created a profitable farming system that restored the native forest of his region, and which continues to regenerate the soil, support diverse wildlife, and yield a wide variety of products. In fact, Götsch's main crop, cacao used for chocolate, is widely regarded among chocolatiers as the highest quality cacao available, and he fetches a premium price for it. And furthermore, universities in Brazil have done biodiversity surveys of Götsch's farm, counting all the trees and plants and animals and insects and fungi, and his agroforestry system ranks as the highest diversity Atlantic rainforest ecosystem in all of Brazil. Just imagine, producing the highest valued cacao in the world while creating the most diverse Atlantic rainforest in Brazil, and doing it from scratch on some of the most fucked land you've ever seen? Wow. Just wow. What Ernst Götsch has achieved is truly amazing.

One of Götsch's key insights was that traditional agricultural systems often ignored the inherent processes of nature, leading to the depletion of soil and the breakdown of ecosystems. With this insight in mind he closely observed ecological succession — where plant species replace each other and create different conditions over time, from pioneering species to mature forest trees. Götsch observed how the forest responded and regenerated after catastrophic wind events blew down large canopy trees, which created clearings in what previously been dense mature rainforest. And he compared that to how the same forest reponded to clear-cutting, burning, and over-grazing. Similar forest interventions, however one regenerated itself vibrantly whereas the other collapsed into a death-spiral of decreasing productivity. Observing this difference, Götsch spent decades experimenting and refining his practices, gaining understanding and sharing his methods with others. The methodologies worked great and were repeatable and replicable, and thereby syntropic agroforestry 'became a thing' and farmers throughout South America began using it to profitably farm while creating resilient agro-ecosystems.

Götsch's philosophy is rooted in the idea of working with nature instead of dominating it. If there's a pest or a disease attacking a crop, or a crop is showing a nutrient difficiency, rather than spraying pesticides or fertilizer the farmer must understand how and why that is happening, and see that the pests and diseases are there to help remove a sick plant from the system, or to help remove a plant that doesn't belong there in the first place. Götsch speaks of farming based on unconditional love, and loving the pests and diseases because they are telling him the truth if he's made a mistake, helping him learn how better manage the system. And it works, because the ecosystem supports itself through the relationships between plants, animals, and microorganisms. Plants, animals and fungi in concert to create soil, attract other beneficial species, and protect each other from predators and environment threats, creating a self-sustaining environment. Applying his philosophy to his farming practices, Götsch came to see humans as the keystone species in a forest ecosystem, which is a profound shift away from seeing humankind as separate from nature, subduing and dominating nature and bending it to our will. In terms of philosophy, it truly is a cosmic paradigm shift in the way modern humans relate to the natural world.

How Syntropic Agroforestry Differs from Other Farming Systems

The key distinction between syntropic agroforestry and conventional farming practices lies in the management of the system. Syntropic agroforestry is a knowledge and management based system, whereas conventional farming is an input based system. When smartly designed and properly managed, a syntropic system is able to provide for itself all of the nutrients and mulch necessary to grow a productive crop. Management largely consists of pruning sacrificial biomass plants like grass or fast-growing nitrogen fixing trees, and placing that pruned material as mulch along the tree rows, to feed the soil that feeds the system. When practiced by the syntropic farmer, intensive pruning and mulching can accelerate the processes of ecological succession, and vibrant mature ecosystems can be created from scratch in a rather short amount of time.

Syntropic agroforestry creates a dynamic, multi-layered system that mimics natural forests. Each plant in a syntropic agroforestry system has a specific role to play, from nitrogen-fixing legumes that enhance soil fertility to tall trees that provide shade and create microclimates for other species. The farmer must be familiar with the role each plant has to play, and if they are unfamiliar, they must at least be observant and willing to be flexible and open to change. With the farmer's intentional management toward certain outcomes, the system evolves over time, with plants moving through different stages of growth—just like a forest in nature.

For example, in a syntropic agroforestry system in Brazil, in the first few years you might find the system dominated by fast-growing short-lived plants like beans, vegetables, and grasses. In the mid-term, the system is dominated by fruiting bushes and medium-sized fruit trees such as guava and papaya. In later years, slower growing trees like Brazil nuts or cacao eventually find their prominence. Over time, this layered approach unfolds itself in time and space, all while building soil, promoting biodiversity, and offering a diverse range of food products.

The Key Principles of Syntropic Agroforestry

Syntropic agroforestry is built on a few key principles that guide its implementation and success. These principles are derived from observing natural ecosystems and learning how they function in a balanced, regenerative way.

Succession: In nature, ecosystems evolve through different stages—starting with fast-growing pioneer plants and gradually transitioning to more mature species. In syntropic agroforestry, this process is mimicked by planting a mix of species of different growth rates, allowing the system to evolve and regenerate over time. For instance, you might start with plants like legumes that enrich the soil with nitrogen and follow with fruit trees and timber species as the system matures.
Diversity: The more diverse an ecosystem, the more resilient it is. Syntropic agroforestry promotes biodiversity at every level. Instead of planting a monoculture, you plant a wide range of species—fruit trees, timber trees, biomass species, vegetables, herbs, and even medicinal plants. This diversity ensures that the system can weather changes in climate, pests, and diseases. When diverse species are grown in overlapping layers that phase in and out over time, the whole system benefits from the different nutrients that are accumulated by individual plants, as well as their built-in defenses against pests and diseases.
Synergy: One of the key benefits of syntropic agroforestry is the way different species support each other. Some plants, like nitrogen-fixing trees, enrich the soil for their neighbors. Others, like ground covers, help retain moisture and suppress weeds. Synergy ensures that the system requires fewer external inputs because the plants and animals support each other in a balanced ecosystem.
Integration: Unlike conventional agriculture, which isolates crops and treats them as individual entities, syntropic agroforestry integrates plants, animals, water, and even human activities into a cohesive whole. In a successful syntropic system, animals might help with pest control or even provide manure that fertilizes the soil. Water is used efficiently, with systems like swales or ponds helping to capture and distribute rainfall.

Why Does Syntropic Agroforestry Matter?

In the face of challenges like soil erosion, climate change, and food insecurity, syntropic agroforestry offers a solution that can restore degraded land and support sustainable food production. Its ability to regenerate soil, increase biodiversity, and sequester carbon makes it a powerful tool in the fight against climate change.

Take, for example, a recent project in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, where degraded land was transformed using syntropic agroforestry principles. Over time, the land went from being barren and infertile to hosting a thriving ecosystem of fruit trees, timber species, and wildlife. This regeneration not only supported local communities by providing food and income but also contributed to reforesting the region and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

By focusing on restoring the health of the soil and creating a diverse, balanced system, syntropic agroforestry doesn’t just produce food—it creates resilient landscapes that can withstand the pressures of climate change and provide a model for sustainable farming worldwide.

Conclusion: Setting Up the Journey

Syntropic agroforestry may seem like a new and innovative concept, but in reality, it’s a return to the age-old wisdom of nature. Through this book, we’ll dive deeper into the principles and practices of syntropic agroforestry, exploring real-world examples and offering practical advice for anyone interested in applying these ideas. Whether you’re a small-scale farmer, a gardener, or simply someone curious about how we can heal the earth, syntropic agroforestry offers hope for the future—one rooted in the regenerative power of nature.