What is agroforestry design?
Harmonizing humans and nature through regenerative innovation
Agroforestry design is the process of creating food and land use systems that work in harmony with nature. It treats agriculture and forests as interconnected living systems, restoring degraded landscapes while delivering key ecosystem services—such as soil regeneration, water management, biodiversity conservation, and carbon sequestration.
How does it work?
Agroforests are ancient systems that emerged in the early days of agriculture more than 13,000 years ago. They are still applied today by indigenous peoples and small rural producers around the world. There are numerous terms associated with agroforestry, such as edible forest, edible garden, agroecological agroforestry, etc. Essentially, the practice means that perennial forest species are planted together with agricultural crops and livestock – mimicking the logic and behaviour of nature.
In collaboration with the Circular Bioeconomy Alliance, CBA Affiliate Member PRETATERRA has produced agroforestry designs for Living Labs worldwide. These transformative projects include the reintroduction of regenerative cotton farming in the Italian peninsula, pioneering climate-resilient agroforestry systems in Chad, and an innovative medicinal plant agroforestry living lab with Aboca in Italy.
This agroforestry design for cotton production in Chad shows how cotton can be grown alongside cashew nut trees, citrus and guava, to create a fruit-garden system in a 20mx10m block. The system not only enhances soil and ecosystem resilience, but also improves local livelihoods.
The agroforestry designs of PRETATERRA merge scientific insights, ancestral wisdom, and cutting-edge technological innovations to create modular, replicable solutions for regenerative transitions. Each of these Living Labs serve as real-world demonstrations of agroforestry’s potential to restore ecological integrity and provide sustainable livelihoods.
“Through agroforestry design, we envision a future where human activities thrive in balance with nature, offering practical solutions to some of the most pressing global challenges. It can redefine humanity’s relationship with the natural world, fostering ecosystems that are productive, resilient, and in lasting harmony”, said Valter Ziantoni, from PRETATERRA.
