PROJECT TOGO · SYNTROPIC AGROFORESTRY
In Kotokopé, PROJECT TOGO is piloting a cultivation approach that combines soil, diverse crops and practical knowledge.
WHY WE DO IT
Agriculture is under pressure in many places. Irregular rainfall, prolonged dry spells, and heavy rain can make bare soils and a lack of crop diversity particularly vulnerable within a single season.
Syntropic agroforestry does not promise a quick fix. It starts with what sustains in the long term: soil that can hold water, diverse plants, and knowledge that is practically applied on site.
Agroforestry is no replacement for natural forest.
It is an additional cultivation and learning space next to it – and part of the same conviction: nature and the livelihoods of humans must not be played off against each other.
FROM THE AGROFORESTRY AREA
The area is not just a place for plants. Here, we observe, ask questions and discuss the next steps together.
HOW THE APPROACH WORKS
In syntropic agroforestry, crops, shrubs and trees do not grow next to each other by chance. Different layers are coordinated with one another in time and space.
01
Diversity is planned.
Bananas, maize, cassava and other crops do not all need the same amount of light, water or space. This spreads the risk across the area.
02
Biomass remains.
Pruned branches and leaves remain on the ground as mulch. They protect it from direct sun and heavy rain.
03
Experience counts.
Which plants go well together and what works under the local conditions is observed, tried out and adapted.
PROTECT THE SOIL
The biomass becomes a protective layer on the surface. It can retain moisture in the soil for longer, reduce erosion and promote humus accumulation.
What seems like a minor detail is an important part of daily work during periods of heat, drought, and heavy rain.
WHAT SPECIFICALLY IS BEING CREATED
The agroforestry area in Kotokopé is both a cultivation area and a place of learning. Employees, farmers, students, and interns look together at what works and what needs to be changed.
It is not about imposing a method from the outside. The decisive factor is whether it fits the soil, the climate, the available resources and the daily lives of the people.
“Agroforestry is not a rigid recipe. It grows with experience, observation, and each new season.”
PROJECT TOGO
THREE BRIEF INSIGHTS
VIDEO 02
Many plants. Multiple levels.
On this area, it becomes visible how bananas, woody plants and other crops grow alongside each other.
VIDEO 03
Learning on the shop floor.
Observe, ask, try out: the agroforestry system is being further developed together.
PROJECT TOGO AS A CONTEXT
A more resilient cultivated area can provide food, reduce dependence on individual crops, and create knowledge that people can use for their own land.
Not every measure directly protects a tree. However, practical skills and additional income opportunities create the conditions for nature and everyday life in the region to have a future together.
DIRECT PROJECT SUPPORT
Syntropic agroforestry needs time, care, and people to develop it further. Companies can support this work on a voluntary basis as part of PROJECT TOGO.
This support is provided in addition to our own climate protection measures and outside our own value chain. It is not offset against emissions, does not alter any CO₂ balance sheet, and does not justify any claim of carbon neutrality.
Companies can directly support the next season.