Syntropic Farming

Syntropic Farming
What is Syntropic Farming

Syntropic Farming is an innovative approach to regenerative agriculture which allows us to
create dynamic, successional, and economically viable ecosystems that restore degraded soil
biodiversity. By understanding and respecting nature's complex system, syntropic farming
imitates market gardening and slash and mulch agroforestry, in order to provide yields at all
stages of succession, generate its own fertility, and with the end goal of creating a productive
forest that imitates the structure and function of the native forests.
The Principles
The following are guiding principles of syntropic farming
1. Keep the soil covered
Uncovered soil is like a wound on the earth. A thick layer of organic matter is healing. It
becomes rich compost over time, acting as an organic fertilizer. It also protects the soil
from the sun and prevents evaporation of water, reducing the dependency on frequent
rainfall. By blocking the competitive grasses and weeds, it makes life easier for the
farmer. Plus it keeps the harvest clean
2. Maximize photosynthesis
Syntropic farming seeks to Maximize Photosynthesis by laying out trees rows from
North to South. This is the primary design layout strategy, as opposed to managing for
water through exclusively using contour planting.
3. Stratification
In syntropic farming, crops and trees are planted in an extremely high density of planting;
20-40 plants/seeds/cutting per square meter. These plants are arranged in space based on
the principle of Stratification, which refers to where a plant grows in its optimal habitat.
The four stratas typically used are emergent, high, medium, and low, and they mostly
refer to the light requirements of the species, but also to species form/habit and leaf
structure.
4. Synchronization
Synchronization refers to the act of removing plant biomass, through harvesting and
pruning, in order to obtain a yield, open up space for the next succession of species, and
to encourage new growth through the release of different root hormones that occur after
pruning.
5. Natural succession
Natural Succession is how these plants are arranged over time, from placenta stage to
secondary stage and finally to climax, which are the stages of succession through which
a forest matures
6. Management
The entire system should be constantly filled with plants of different strata even as the
system moves through a managed succession.
Starting Syntropic Farming

When given the opportunity to choose land, the following are good features:
 Some existing trees or vegetation (which can be taken down for mulch)
 Natural water sources
 Protection from tree eating animals (especially goats and cows)
Land Preparation:
 Choose a location to start. If you plan to develop the farm step by step over years, be
thoughtful about starting in a location that will not shade out the future land.
 Remove enough of the existing trees and plants to make room for the new system to
grow. Keep any desirable trees, such as fruit trees, but lower branches may need to be
pruned to allow sunlight to pass through. Other trees can be heavily pruned so that only
the top of the canopy is intact. Trees that can regrow when the top is removed can be cut
this way and treated as biomass trees.
 Fence the area or protect them from tree eating animals, where needed.
 Make or purchase compost, which is used when planting fruit tree seedlings.
 Gather as much mulch as possible.
 Stake out the rows in the preferred orientation. This design uses rows that are 4 meters
apart.
 Till the ground only where you will be planting.
 Stake out planting sites for the individual trees.
Tree Planting Design:
Based on the following design as a guide, you can substitute any of the individual trees within a
stratum category with each other. Refer to the design, the key and the minimum spacing
drawings. It is important to:
 have all stratums represented
 have as much diversity as possible
 include long-lived, climax species
 do your best to plant all at the same time
 whenever possible, use seeds over seedlings and cuttings.
The low trees are planted with either banana or papaya on purpose. They provide shade when the
tree is young. They should be planted on the north-west side of the cacao/coffee tree to protect it
from the 41 late afternoon sun. It’s important to use at least 50% bananas as they are an
important and unique source of biomass.

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Syntropic Farming

What is Syntropic Farming

The following are guiding principles of syntropic farming

1. Keep the soil covered

Starting Syntropic Farming

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