Woodland Flavors: Forest Soil and Cuisine

© Photo: Nicolas Bovet, Agridea

Soil life suffers when only one crop grows over large areas. Monocultures are profitable for producers only if true costs aren’t accounted for. The solution? More trees.

Agriculture at a Crossroads

Agriculture today faces a major challenge: it must produce more to feed a growing global population — while at the same time protecting natural resources and improving environmental conditions. Across the world, farmers and researchers are searching for productive ways to respond to declining soil quality and increasingly irregular climate patterns. One of the most promising approaches is agroforestry — the cultivation of crops and trees in shared systems. It offers immense potential for the future of food production but requires significant upfront investment, which still deters many farmers.

What Agroforestry Means

The word “agroforestry” already hints at its essence: combining agriculture and forestry. Trees are cultivated on farmland, and beneath them, a variety of crops — from potatoes and peas to wheat — can thrive. The symbiotic relationship between tree roots and field crops enriches the soil and fosters a vibrant belowground ecosystem. In autumn, falling leaves act as natural fertilizer. Meanwhile, the tree roots stabilize the soil and their canopies provide shade, helping it retain far more moisture. On a large scale, agroforestry systems can even influence the microclimate of an entire area.

© Photo: David Dellas, Arbres et Climat – Le champ des possibles, 2019
Link to brochure (PDF)

Of course, agroforestry is nothing new. In Spain, the concept has long been known and loved under the name Dehesa (in Portugal, Montado). The Dehesa originated more than 4,000 years ago as an agrosilvopastoral system, combining trees, livestock, and occasional crops. It’s essentially the same principle that defines agroforestry today. In Spain’s dry landscapes, livestock play an important role as natural fertilizer producers — eating fallen fruit and grass, and returning nutrients to the soil in digested form.

The Dehesa is far from an Iberian invention. During the Neolithic Revolution, as humans began to settle and cultivate land, agroforestry was the most natural way to grow crops. Even in Switzerland — until a few decades ago still largely rural — fruit trees once formed the “upper story” of agricultural production.

© Photo: Edi Hilpert, Agridea

From Orchard to Clearcut

Eventually, Switzerland began producing far more fruit than its population could consume. Much of it was distilled into alcohol — until a nationwide anti-alcohol campaign in the 1950s led to the felling of around 11 million fruit trees. The cleared land was turned into monocultures, which now show the typical signs of soil degradation from intensive farming — or have long since been built over.

Today, researchers and farmers are working to bring trees back into the landscape. Across Switzerland, pilot projects are demonstrating how agroforestry can work in practice. In Aargau, strips of walnut and fruit trees are being planted on arable land to provide wind protection and new products. In the Jura, farmers are experimenting with pasture agroforestry — cows graze between tree rows, find shade during heatwaves, and help close nutrient cycles. Around Lake Zurich, organic vegetable growers are using hedgerows and shrub belts to prevent erosion and boost biodiversity.

These examples show that agroforestry isn’t just the latest sustainability buzzword — it’s already becoming a reality in Swiss agriculture, though still far too rarely.

Benefits for Soil and Climate

The advantages of trees and shrubs in agricultural systems are well-documented:

• Roots loosen the soil and reach deeper than grains or vegetables, drawing nutrients and water from otherwise inaccessible layers.
• Leaf litter and prunings provide organic matter — food for soil organisms that build humus.
• Shade reduces evaporation, keeping the soil moist for longer.

Studies show that soils in agroforestry systems contain up to 30% more organic matter and store twice as much water as comparable monoculture fields. They can also sequester up to 3.5 tons of CO₂ per hectare each year, contributing to climate protection. Beyond that, they create more stable microclimates — shade for livestock, wind protection for fields, and reduced heat stress for crops.

Skepticism and Potential

Despite these clear benefits, many farmers remain skeptical. The flexibility and long-term profitability of agroforestry systems are still not widely known. And trees require upfront investments — fruit trees take years to bear, and timber trees decades to mature.

Yet, model calculations show that agroforestry can outperform monocultures when ecosystem services are included: improved soil fertility, higher water retention, and additional yields from fruit, nuts, or timber. Combined with incentives for organic and regenerative practices, agroforestry becomes economically viable. Organizations like Agridea are supporting trials and research projects in Switzerland — you can learn more at sotoso.org/agroforst.

A Look Ahead

Ultimately, the question is: What kind of soil do we want to leave to future generations?
Agroforestry offers a practical, not just theoretical, answer — more diversity, more stability, more resilience in soils, climates, and agricultural systems. And perhaps also in our mindset: instead of chasing quick returns, we learn to plan in decades again. Trees remind us that farming isn’t just about the next harvest — it’s about the next generation. We look forward to seeing growing enthusiasm for agroforestry in Switzerland!

Agroforestry Meets Forest Cuisine

Find out what an agroforest tastes like! The young chefs of FoodLab 2025, together with visionary chef Carlos Navarro, will serve up creative dishes inspired by trees, shrubs, mushrooms, and forest plants — all as part of the Soil to Soul Symposium.

Whether you’re in the mood for a hearty lunch or a light snack in between sessions, this is your chance to taste, smell, and experience the diversity of agroforestry.