Working with nature: introducing syntropic agroforestry to St. Eustatius 

The island of St. Eustatius has experienced severe vegetation loss over the past four decades. On the island, Klarvin Cijntje, of Cijntje’s Organic Farm on Curacao, and his colleagues now work to introduce syntropic agroforestry. This form of agriculture works closely with nature to restore the land and improve biodiversity, while at the same time yielding a high variety of crops. ‘You need to really understand how nature works, so you can emphasise cooperation with nature over control,’ says Cijntje. 

Header photo: Syntropic agroforestry (c) Florian Kopp / Mongabay

What is syntropic agroforestry?

Syntropic agroforestry is a type of agriculture that is inspired by nature, and mimics natural forest ecosystems^[1]https://dario-cortese.medium.com/an-introduction-to-syntropic-agriculture-9a346050e6ed for more information on syntropic farming. It applies naturally occurring ecological processes such as stratification and succession to agriculture.

Syntropic agroforestry closely observes natural ecosystems and translates these conditions to an agricultural context by planting a highly organised and strategic combination of fruits, vegetables, nuts and supporting trees and shrubs. These can be, for example, nitrogen fixers and provide mulch and shade, benefitting the productive crops. No external inputs are needed; no synthetic fertiliser, no pesticides, no herbicides. In doing so, it creates rich, fertile, and biodiverse agricultural land, while also improving climate resilience, reducing water usage, and enhancing soil structure. Syntropic agroforestry is based on farming techniques used by Indigenous peoples of the Amazon region, who have been using this method for thousands of years. It was popularised by the German researcher Ernst Götsch. 

Syntropic agroforestry is based on a few principles^[2]https://dario-cortese.medium.com/an-introduction-to-syntropic-agriculture-9a346050e6ed. Firstly, it uses strategic plant combinations, or plant consortia which facilitate natural soil formation. As a result, the system keeps fertilising itself and provides habitat for natural pest control. It therefore significantly reduces the dependence on pesticides and chemical fertilisers. Secondly, syntropic agroforestry relies on four-dimensional stratification in time and space: each plant has its own layer and a specific period in a management cycle, in which it grows and is subsequently yielded. Thirdly, it makes use of planting and strategic pruning of pioneer plants that fulfill a service role (humification, shading, accumulation and cycling of water, biomass creation, habitat for insects and microbes). Finally, it applies the principles of regenerative agriculture – avoiding synthetic chemicals and soil disturbance, keeping the soil covered, encouraging biodiversity and maximising photosynthesis. 

In a successive syntropic agroforestry system, strategic plant combinations reduce the need for external inputs such as fertiliser and pesticides. Source: https://www.forestfoods.co.ke/syntropic-agroforestry  

Because syntropic agroforestry uses succession to improve biodiversity, it can even create fertile agricultural land on soils that have been highly degraded by human activity. Götsch demonstrated this in Brazil, where he restored nearly 500 hectares of land through syntropic agroforestry^[3]https://agendagotsch.com/en/ernst-gotsch/.

A shift in thinking

The project will introduce syntropic agroforestry to the island on a plot of 23 hectares. There are about 30 farmers on the island, of which the majority are crop farmers, represented by the St. Eustatius Farmer’s Foundation.  

Syntropic agroforestry approaches agriculture in a different, more holistic manner. Cijntje: ‘It requires a shift from linear farming to ecosystem thinking. And ecosystem thinking is a completely different way of thinking. In syntropic agroforestry, you try to mimic nature. You need to really understand how nature works, so you can emphasise cooperation with nature, rather than control.’  

The team, with Cijntje on the far right. (c) Statia government, retrieved from https://www.statiagovernment.com/nieuwsoverzicht/artikel/cultivating-biodiversity-on-st-eustatius-launch-of-pilot-project-for-statia-farmers

To achieve this shift in thinking among the farmers of St. Eustatius, Cijntje organises workshops with the local farmers. Cijntje himself was introduced to syntropic agroforestry some years ago. ‘I had always wanted to combine fruit trees with other crops, but didn’t know how to. When I followed a course on syntropic agroforestry, it felt as if the missing pieces fell into place,’ Cijntje says. ‘I dug deep into it, and started using these methods on my farm, as well as on other projects. Syntropic agroforestry is a very management-intensive process, so it takes some effort for any change to become apparent. But it is absolutely worth it once you see the results.’ 

Cijntje has already seen a change of attitude in Curacao. ‘People starting to understand that we need to focus on different, more sustainable and regenerative ways of farming. They see the amount of pesticides we use and how it is affecting our environment. They see how nature is suffering from unsustainable agricultural practices.’  

The future of syntropic agroforestry

In the future, Cijntje hopes to introduce syntropic agroforestry to other islands in the Caribbean. Not merely to aid in conservation efforts, but also to improve food security. Now, small islands such as St. Eustatius import about 90% of their food. Introducing agroforestry practices will make the islands less dependent on imports and will also improve the overall quality of the food, as imported food is often poor in quality. Imports can also easily be interrupted during extreme weather events such as hurricanes. In the face of climate change, reducing the dependence of small islands on imported foods is therefore all the more important. As Caspar Verwer, nature conservation expert at IUCN NL, states: “Syntropic agriculture offers economic prospects for local farmers and can therefore be an important tool in tackling overgrazing.”

Cijntje concludes: ‘The concept of syntropic agroforestry is new to a lot of people, but the knowledge itself is not new. It is the knowledge that tribes in the Amazon have used to grow their food for centuries. It’s not a concept that we invented. So, I hope that people will give it a try, and I want to encourage everyone to believe in the project. Because we need to give it our all if we want this to succeed.’ 

BESTLIFE2030

This project is part of the BESTLIFE2030 programme. It is funded by the EU LIFE-programme, a European environmental and climate action grant programme. BESTLIFE 2030 provides funding for projects that work on nature conservation and restoration in overseas countries and territories of the European Union to stop and reverse global biodiversity loss. 

IUCN NL is the focal point for Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao, Saba, St. Eustatius and St. Maarten. These islands have a high biodiversity but are among the places that are the most vulnerable to climate change and environmental pressures.