Agriculture worldwide faces mounting challenges: climate change, water scarcity, soil erosion, and biodiversity loss, alongside persistent issues like pests, diseases, and weeds. While technologies such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and precision farming offer some solutions, these are often inaccessible to small-scale farmers.
In Argolida, Greece, citrus farmers experience these challenges acutely. Overexploitation of the aquifer has led to water scarcity and overuse of fertilizer have polluted the groundwater, while extreme weather events like hail and frost cause frequent crop losses. To remain viable, small-scale farmers must increasingly rely on costly technologies, specialized markets, or subsidies to compete with large-scale operations.
In response, ANYFION launched an experimental agricultural plot in spring 2022 to explore sustainable alternatives. The plot is divided into two sections: one with a traditional organic citrus monoculture and another using a successional agroforestry system designed to optimize citrus production. This initiative aims to test innovative methods that address both environmental and economic pressures.
The Hypotheses: What We’re Testing
The successional agroforestry system aims to validate several key hypotheses compared to the traditional monoculture:
- Higher Productivity: The overall output (including all crops) per hectare is higher in an agroforestry system while maintaining equal or lower input levels.
- Frost Protection: Small citrus trees can be shielded from frost by neighboring evergreen support trees, reducing cold-related damage.
- Improved Microclimate: The agroforestry system creates a favorable microclimate with more moisture retention and less extreme summer heat, fostering better citrus growth.
In addition to these hypotheses, the successional agroforestry system is expected to deliver broader ecological benefits:
- Enhanced Biodiversity: By providing more ecological niches, the system supports a greater variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms.
- Soil Improvement: The combination of diverse plant species and natural processes should enhance soil health, reducing the need for synthetic fertilizers.
Why Successional Agroforestry?
Successional agroforestry is an approach that mimics natural forest ecosystems, where different plant species grow together in dynamic stages. This method integrates trees, shrubs, and crops to create a resilient, multi-layered farming system. Unlike traditional monocultures, which prioritize a single crop at the expense of ecological balance, agroforestry systems work with nature to improve productivity and sustainability.
By testing this system, ANYFION aims to explore how agroforestry could offer solutions to the challenges faced by small-scale citrus farmers in Argolida. If successful, it could provide a replicable model for transitioning toward more sustainable and resilient agricultural practices.
The Road Ahead
The results of this experiment will take time to materialize, as agroforestry systems require years to reach their full potential. However, the insights gained will be invaluable for understanding how small-scale farmers can adapt to environmental and economic pressures while contributing to the health of their local ecosystems.
At ANYFION, we believe that transforming agriculture requires bold experimentation and a willingness to rethink traditional practices. This test plot is a step toward that transformation, aligning with our mission to empower agricultural communities through fair trade, sustainable farming and innovation.
Illustration of Agroforest by Rolf Cigler https://www.ciglerart.ch/