Toute l'actualitéA quarter of the world's greenhouse gas emissions are caused by conventional agriculture. Without specific measures, emissions from the food system are set to rise by 60-90% between 2010 and 2050. In the face of global warming, we urgently need to change our practices and move towards regenerative agriculture, a source of multiple benefits. Agroforestry is an indispensable component of regenerative agriculture. It positively impacts soils, enhances biodiversity, promotes carbon storage, and preserves and diversifies production. Reforest'Action has over ten years of experience in agroforestry, thanks to actions carried out in tropical and temperate zones.
Regenerative agriculture, an approach designed to ensure long-term ecosystem resilience and stability
Regenerative agriculture describes farming and grazing practices that aim to ensure the long-term resilience and stability of agricultural ecosystems while maintaining the economic viability of farms. It seeks to positively impact soils, climate, biodiversity, and farmers' lives through a pragmatic approach based on local context, experimentation, and impact measurement.
Agroforestry, a significant practice in regenerative agriculture
Agroforestry is a system of land management that combines crops or livestock with trees, either along the edges or in open fields. Agroforestry generates numerous benefits that have regenerative effects:
1. Improved water quality
Agroforestry helps to improve water quality. Agroforestry trees and hedges intercept pollutants, sediments, and nutrients carried by runoff from farmland. They also help reduce soil erosion, limiting runoff and water loss.
2. Preserving biodiversity and ecological resilience
The farmer increases the diversity of species and habitats by multiplying the number of plant strata within his plots. Agroforestry introduces more life into the soil. More organic matter makes the soil more prosperous, fertile, and resilient. Moreover, on a landscape scale, trees help to preserve the land by attenuating climatic shocks such as flooding or strong winds.
3. Soil stability
Agroforestry methods aim to strengthen the microbial life of agricultural soils, especially leaf fall, which provides organic matter. They protect against erosion, improve soil structure and contribute to carbon storage.
4. Carbon storage
Agroforestry promotes carbon storage through the capture of CO2 by trees. Moreover, preserving soil stability thanks to the trees and their roots helps maintain the carbon stored in the soil. Finally, avoiding intensive monoculture reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. This contributes to soil carbon sequestration, promoting better nutrient management and increasing ecosystem resilience.
5. Economic benefits
The planted agroforestry system can provide income and reduce costs for the farmer over the long term through diversification of production - fruit, timber, nuts, essential oils, medicinal products, livestock fodder, mulch, or honey. Agroforestry can also create value for the company as part of its value chain through the improved agricultural productivity of trees. In addition, it provides various ecosystem services such as water regulation, pollination, pest control, and biodiversity conservation. These services have substantial economic value in reducing production costs or adding value to ecological products. Finally, implementing agroforestry practices can enhance a company's brand image by demonstrating its commitment to environmental and social regeneration. This helps build trust with consumers and business partners and adds value to the company in terms of competitive differentiation and social responsibility.
6. Local socio-economic benefits
Trees planted in agroforestry systems can provide shade and recreational space. This improves the comfort and well-being of residents. In addition, integrating nature into agricultural landscapes contributes to better mental and physical health for community members. It also creates local jobs and income - primarily for the farmer. It can bring local investment through carbon credits. It also contributes to food security.
Reforest'Action, proven experience in agroforestry
Reforest'Action has more than ten years of proven expertise in agroforestry, thanks to actions carried out in over 136 projects:
1. In tropical zones
For example, in northern Peru, the project developed by Reforest'Action and the Centre d'Innovation et de Gestion pour le Développement Durable (CIGDES) has been installing agroforestry systems alongside producers and indigenous communities since 2021. Formerly fertile land had been converted to crops and pasture to the detriment of the primary forest that had taken root there. Plot farming is the leading cause of deforestation in the country. In such a context, agroforestry development aimed to restore former forest plots while generating additional socio-economic benefits for local populations over the long term. From the very first year, over 600,000 trees were planted, helping to regenerate ecosystems by improving soil conditions and reducing water and wind erosion. The multi-story agroforestry system has also been complemented by the cultivation of corn, bananas, pineapples, and papayas by the villagers, who benefit from the presence of these species. 216 families have also been trained in soil investigation, agroforestry, and monitoring the health of planted trees. Reforest'Action also runs other projects involving the agri-food chain. This is the case, for example, in Togo for coffee and cocoa. Similarly, as part of our project in Mexico, agroforestry has helped to diversify fruit production and secure the long-term future of vanilla and cocoa production while reinforcing food security for the local population.
2. In temperate zones
Agroforestry is integrated into the heart of wine-growing plots through so-called vitiforestry practices. These practices positively impact carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, and soil regeneration. Reforest'Action is active in Champagne, both within and outside the Ruinart value chain. Forests, vineyards, vines, and plains are linked to a coherent whole conducive to landscape regeneration. In this spirit, our practice of tailor-made project design enables us to adapt to each context - local, social, economic, or environmental - to regenerate ecosystems.
Conclusion
In 2022, the UN Convention to Combat Desertification warned that soil degradation was accelerating: 40% of the land was degraded, compared with 25% in 2017. The deployment of regenerative agriculture on a large scale is urgent. Businesses have recently begun to take notice. In November 2022, twelve global agribusiness giants announced an action plan in which they called for a tripling of the rate of expansion of regenerative agriculture. According to them, it should be deployed on at least 40% of the planet's cultivated land by 2030 to contribute to global environmental goals. Against this backdrop, Reforest'Action supports companies with its comprehensive expertise in regenerative agriculture, covering the crop approach, the soil approach, and agroforestry.