Syntropic Agroforestry

Where does syntropic agroforestry come from?

Swiss researcher Ernst Götsch developed the idea of syntropic agroforestry in Brazil in the 1980s. As a genetic researcher, his job was actually to adapt plants to difficult environmental conditions. But he turned the question around: How can we create conditions in which plants thrive on their own, instead of adapting them to poor conditions? In doing so, he learned a lot from indigenous knowledge and natural ecosystems—and developed a system that works with nature, not against it.

The principle

Syntropic agroforestry asks the question: How can we produce our food in a regenerative way?

We see the answer in building living soils—and that happens through photosynthesis. The more plants grow in a system, the more energy flows into the system. To maximize photosynthesis, we therefore focus on high plant density, organized through succession and stratification. Succession describes the temporal sequence of plant and animal communities in one place, while stratification describes the spatial layering of plants with different light requirements. This creates a system that mimics natural processes: diverse, resilient, and regenerative.

Our role

In syntropic agroforestry, the farmer is part of the system, not outside it. Our task is to promote succession—we are part of the engine of renewal. Like a bear sitting on an apple tree and breaking off branches to get to the apples, we promote new growth through targeted cutting and care. Each intervention releases growth impulses that strengthen plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms. The farmer thus becomes a co-creator of living cycles – she supports natural processes and gets the system going.

Why do we need this at all?

Climate change, drought, and crop failures show that agriculture cannot continue as it has been. Syntropic agroforestry offers a resilient and independent form of food production that does not require external resources or long supply chains. This creates intact, species-rich ecosystems that produce healthy soils, clean water, and nutrient-rich food. In this way, we are creating a form of agriculture that transforms crisis into growth – and makes a future for us all possible.

Hof vErde as a TERRA Network nest project

Hof vErde is part of the TERRA Network—an international association of farm projects, learning centers, and people who are committed to syntropic agriculture. TERRA supports projects in breaking new ground: toward healthy soils, vibrant ecosystems, and agriculture that is once again in harmony with nature.

As a so-called nest project of TERRA, we are a place where these ideas are put into practice. Syntropic agroforestry systems are being created on our land, which also serve as places of exchange with other experts from the network. We are closely connected with other TERRA projects, exchange experiences, learn from each other, and continue to grow together.

We see ourselves as part of a larger movement—locally rooted yet internationally networked.