introduction
What is agroforestry ?
Agroforestry is the collective term for land-use systems and technologies in which woody perennials (e.g. trees, shrubs, palms or bamboos) and agricultural crops or animals are used deliberately on the same parcel of land.1
Agroforestry systems are multifunctional systems that can provide a wide range of economic, sociocultural and environmental benefits.
It improves the quality of the soil, improves biodiversity and end the addiction to synthetic fertilizers. In the end the farmer multiplies the yield per hectare, with less input and with less effort.
A well-designed agroforestry system mimics the complexity of nature and creates the abundance of ancient forests while also providing healthy food for its stewards.
Financing agroforestry
While the practices of agroforestry have been successfully implemented for centuries, it is not easy for a modern farmer to switch to this form of regenerative agriculture. It takes some time to fully develop the agroforestry system, given the complexity of the natural system that we aim to realize.
An agroforestry system creates abundance over the years. The biomass in preserved and expands every year. Production of the many plants and trees exponentially increases each year.
This strongly contradicts with the annual cycles of current farming: each year starts with a empty canvas: a new start of seeding, weeding, planting, plowing and eventually harvesting. While the nature of agroforestry is based on a longer time horizon. It simply takes some years before the trees start producing fruits and the complex system comes to full production.
This creates a cash shortfall for every farmer in the first couple of years. Tree Line Design help farmers identify the cash shortfall and helps to mitigate it. This can be done by arranging subsidies for new plants and trees, special financing instruments and other methods such as crowd funding
Agroforestry services we provide:
AGRO FORESTRY FARM MODELLING
Tree Line Design can provide a full swing model for your complete agroforestry farming operation based on a high-level planting plan. This will forecast required investments, future yields per hectare and financing demands in the first years. This will provide you with sufficient information to really get started and provide confidence the new way of working.
QUICK SCAN
Each farmer has a unique starting position. Tree Line Design also provides quick insights for farmers who want to explore the various options of agroforestry. Agroforestry comes in many forms and shapes. A quick scan tool provides you with the first outlook of switch to regenerative agriculture operations.
Teaming up with Schevichoven
Tree Line Design works together with Schevichoven; a succesfull regenerative farm in the Netherlands. Together we strive for a healthy financial outlook for new farmers who make the transition. Schevichoven is a very knowledgable partner in this sector already operates succesfully since 2020 without synthetic fertilezer, no pesticides and sees their yields increasing. They are currently expanding from 6 ha to 20 hectare, to realize a fully commercial, independent regenerative farm.
With their initiative Schevichoven Groeit! they aim to attract, inform and convince conventional farmers to make the promising switch to agroforestry and regenerative farming.
Learning more about agroforestry
AGRO FORESTRY NETWERK NEDERLAND
A network of location organisation to promote agroforestry. Also has a large data collection of practical information on applying agroforesty on the farm.
With 186 publications on various types of agroforestry a very handy source of information
PLANTS FOR A FUTURE
Plants For A Future provides free access to a database of detailed information on over 8000 useful plants, with comprehensive search facilities. The database is regularly improved and extended, also aligned with global concerns. We also provide a native plants search
INVESTING IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE
With more than 400 podcasts with in-depth interviews with a wide range of experts of the agroforestry sector, this is very valuable source of information.
LOUIS BOLK INSTITUTE
The Louis Bolk Institute an independent internationally recognised research institute in the fields of sustainable agriculture, nutrition and health.
With 69 publications on agroforestry a large source of scientific information for the Dutch farmers
SCHEVICHOVEN
Schevichoven presents a very interesting list of good material to read, watch and listen to.
VOEDSEL UIT HET BOS
The knowledge data base on their website is very interesting, and also displays a list of most agroforestry projects in the Netherlands.
Their “Voedselboscast” is an absolute must for everyone wanting to learn every about agroforesty in the Netherlands (Dutch only)