What it is
Forests4Farming Academy offers free online courses in syntropic agroforestry, inspired by Brazilian farmer Ernst Gotsch's methods. The curriculum covers succession-based planting design, stratification (layering plants by height and light needs), pruning for biomass cycling, and establishing productive food forests from degraded land. Courses include video tutorials, design exercises, and a global practitioner community.
Why we picked this
Syntropic agroforestry is among the most productive and carbon-dense land use systems known. Agroforestry systems sequester 0.55-1.9 Mg C/ha/yr and achieve land equivalent ratios of 4.1-4.4, meaning one hectare produces what four hectares would in monoculture. Forests4Farming makes these techniques accessible to anyone, for free.
Key takeaways
- Syntropic systems achieve land equivalent ratios of 4.1-4.4, meaning one hectare of agroforestry can out-produce four hectares of monoculture.
- Ernst Gotsch restored 500 hectares of degraded Brazilian farmland to productive food forest, demonstrating the technique at commercial scale.
- The free courses include design templates and planting calendars adapted to different climate zones, making syntropic principles applicable globally.