Learn about the experience of farmer Fernando Campos in implementing an agroforestry scheme with the help of Courageous Land, a startup supported by Fundo Vale
Agroforestry systems have emerged as an innovative and beneficial agricultural solution in many aspects, including to restore and conserve soil health. Unlike conventional agriculture, which is based on monocultures and the intensive use of chemical inputs, agroforestry seeks to mimic natural ecosystems, promoting an increase in biodiversity and the recovery of essential ecosystem functions such as nutrient cycling, pollination, water retention and microclimate regulation. This approach can significantly reduce the need for synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, especially when combined with regenerative agriculture practices.
In addition, agroforestry boosts the resilience of agricultural systems by creating environments that are more stable and adaptable to climatic variations. The diversity of species provides greater functional redundancy, ensuring that even in the face of extreme weather events such as droughts or storms, some crops continue to grow, maintaining the productivity and stability of the system.
Fernando Campos, a farmer associated with Courageous Land – a startup supported by Fundo Vale within the scope of Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal – has implemented an agroforestry scheme on his property in Rio de Janeiro State’s mountainous interior, which is home to the Atlantic Forest biome. “Our main goal is to restore areas that were used for pasture for many years, transforming them back into forest areas, but with associated agricultural production. We also want to provide shelter for local fauna through key species such as the juçara palm (Euterpe edulis) and help preserve endangered species,” he explains.
As well as restoring fertility and improving water infiltration in the soil, agroforestry offers Fernando the chance to diversify his property’s sources of income. “We organized and planned our work and sales routines with a focus on fruit production, mainly Persian limes and Ponkan mandarins, as well as avocados. We also produce bananas, turmeric and ginger,” he says.
Impact on the community
Fernando’s agroforestry efforts have brought about social benefits through job creation. The project, still in its early stages, employs three people full-time and has fostered a strong sense of contribution to environmental recovery. “Some of our neighbors have visited the project and are planning to implement similar projects on their properties, as they see the value in restoring nature alongside the possibility of generating more income on their properties in the short, medium and long term, since agroforestry has an intrinsic successional logic,” says Fernando.
Courageous Land’s support
The farmer’s agroforestry implementation work has received crucial support from Courageous Land, a startup that works to promote and scale up agroforestry systems. In 2023, the company provided a grant to Fernando’s project, allowing him to expand his agroforestry area to 2 hectares. In addition to this funding, Courageous Land provided technical assistance, designed the agroforestry system suited to local conditions and continues to support the project’s management remotely. “They guide me on the necessary practices and management work for our team to carry out,” Fernando says.
Courageous Land was born out of a desire to combat climate change and promote sustainability through agroforestry. “We recognized the potential of agroforestry systems to restore ecosystems and generate income for local communities. In the beginning, we faced challenges related to raising awareness about the benefits of agroforestry and adapting techniques to farmers’ different circumstances. Strategic partnerships, such as the one with Fundo Vale, were crucial to overcoming these obstacles and expanding our impact,” says Philip Kauders, CEO and co-founder of Courageous Land.
Courageous Land currently operates in the Amazon Rainforest and Atlantic Forest biomes, across four Brazilian states. Aligning with the specific conditions of each region, the production schemes combine timber and fruit species (both regional natives and exotics), if possible with the inclusion of at least one zoochoric species (plants such as the juçara palm that rely on fruit-eating animals for seed dispersal, thereby favoring forest regeneration), one endangered species and one species that fixes nitrogen in the soil, in addition to traditional fertilizers. The company also integrates species such as coffee and cocoa with hardwoods, palms and spices.
“The partnership with Courageous Land supports our purpose of restoring 100,000 hectares of habitat, making a positive impact on biodiversity and neighboring communities, as set out in Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal. We believe that sustainable agricultural production systems are fundamental to the transition to a low-carbon economy, and Courageous Land is at the forefront of this change,” says Juliana Vilhena, Fundo Vale’s strategy, management and impact manager.
Impact measurement
To measure the impact on soil quality, Courageous Land uses indicators such as carbon content, which measures carbon sequestration and soil health; soil pH, which reflects acidity and microbiota; and nutrient content, which evaluates fertility and the effectiveness of agroforestry practices. Other indicators include the percentage of sand, silt and clay, affecting water retention and drainage; and bulk density, which measures soil compaction. Furthermore, water retention capacity is crucial for crop growth during droughts, while microorganism count and fertility indicator tests help assess microbial health and diversity.
To measure the impact on biodiversity, indicators such as the Shannon-Wiener Species Diversity Index can be used to assess both the number and relative abundance of species. Monitoring indicator species, such as birds and insects of high ecological value, provides important information on environmental quality. In addition, periodic observation of fauna and flora, including the plants that make up natural regeneration, quantifies agroforestry’s impact. Vegetation cover and habitat structure, which reflect the complexity of the environment, are other important indicators.
Soil health
Soil is an essential component for removing atmospheric carbon and mitigating climate change. Agriculture is one of a handful of productive sectors in which you can reverse the logic and fix carbon in the soil or in plant biomass during production. Healthy soils keep more carbon in the soil and emit less greenhouse gases. With the aim of contributing to studies on improving soil health in Brazil, Dr. Rafael Valadares, a researcher at the Vale Institute of Technology (ITV), has been conducting a research project since 2020, in partnership with Fundo Vale, to integrate chemical, physical and biological indicators into an advanced soil health index. Thus, molecular techniques such as DNA and soil protein sequencing, which were previously restricted to academic studies, are now being transformed into soil health indicators. This initiative is already used to track most of the enterprises supported by Vale’s Forest Goal, whose data is compiled and analyzed by the ITV team.
Valadares also recently joined the Brazilian Soil Health Partnership. This initiative brings together producers, researchers and companies with the aim of aligning agriculture with sustainability, identifying management practices that improve the physical, chemical and biological attributes of soil, and unifying methodologies throughout the country.
The network currently has 47 researchers in 15 Brazilian states conducting studies using standardized protocols. This standardization allows for reliable analyses and the creation of a minimum set of data adapted to the country’s conditions, facilitating the scalability of sustainable practices in different agricultural systems.
ITV is Fundo Vale’s partner in measuring the Soil Quality Index in projects associated with Vale’s 2030 Forest Goal. According to Valadares, ITV’s methodology goes beyond traditional techniques, as it uses a range of previously selected molecular markers to measure the proper functioning of the soil. Through the molecular analysis of samples taken from multiple locations across a site, it is possible to characterize and quantify biodiversity, highlighting subtle improvements that may not be detected by conventional techniques. “In this way, we can help ensure that conservation initiatives that promote the recovery of ecosystems and the capture and maintenance of carbon in the soil are recognized and valued,” says Valadares.