Developing agroforestry-based medicinal plants Living Lab

Rach Colling on April 13, 2026

Living Lab 2.0

Developing agroforestry-based medicinal plants Living Lab

Nestled in the Tuscan hills, medicinal plants have been cultivated in the land around Aboca since the 13th century. The CBA Living Lab is testing agroforestry-based medicinal plant production, where trees are planted together with the medicinal plant crop. It aims to scientifically assess the effects of regenerative agroforestry on biodiversity, carbon sequestration and soil health as well as the social and economic implications.

The Living Lab is supported by Aboca, and carried out in collaboration with the European Forest Institute.

About the CBA Living Lab

The Living Lab aims to create a blueprint for the health industry in Italy.

The two-year project uses different combinations of trees, shrubs and herbal cropping systems on 15 hectares of land, alongside regenerative practices like using microorganisms to reduce pests and diseases, and the use of green manure and cover crops.

Scientific assessment will look at the impacts on:

  • medicinal plant yields and biologically active compounds
  • soil health and soil fertility
  • above and below ground biodiversity
  • carbon and water balance

Highlights from 2025

  • Choosing the type of trees, testing regenerative practices and designs
    An agroforestry system made of windbreaks and high-biodiversity tree hedges was designed to surround 10-hectare field plot of medicinal herbaceous crops. A certified local nursery supplied 5,000 plants of 30 different native species of trees and shrubs for transplanting in late winter 2025-2026.
  • Poplars (Populus species) were selected for planting alongside the medicinal plants, in another field site nearby: they grow quickly, work well as windbreaks, and also produce biochemical compounds that are of interest for their nutraceutical and pharmaceutical properties.
  • Black poplar cuttings were planted to test their growth, management (eg water requirements) and survival.
  • Preparing for the next phase
    Meetings with public and civil society organisations were held to exchange ideas and experiences, both about scientific aspects as well as community involvement. More trees and shrubs will be planted in the winter of 2025/2026, and monitoring (eg of biodiversity and soil health) will begin.

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