Advancing Regenerative Farming in Tanzania
APOPO’s HeroTREEs program launched the Syntropic Agroforestry Innovation Accelerator, a pioneering initiative dedicated to expanding regenerative land management and sustainable agriculture across Tanzania and beyond. The Accelerator brings together training, research, and field implementation to support farmers, students, and communities in adopting syntropic agroforestry — a farming approach that restores ecosystems while improving productivity.
What Is the Accelerator?
The Accelerator is a learning and innovation platform designed to bridge the gap between agroforestry theory and hands-on practice. Through workshops, field demonstrations, research collaborations, and community projects, it equips participants with practical skills to design and manage diverse, resilient agroforestry systems.
The Accelerator supports:
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University students and researchers, offering field-based learning, internships, and opportunities to test new agroforestry tools and models.
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Farmers and farmer groups, helping them establish syntropic agroforestry plots that improve soil health, diversify harvests, and strengthen climate resilience.
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International partners, fostering knowledge exchange across borders and contributing to global advances in regenerative agriculture.
Core Principles
The Accelerator is rooted in the principles of syntropic agroforestry, developed by Ernst Götsch. This approach focuses on:
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Successional planting, where crops and trees are arranged to mimic natural forest regeneration.
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Layering and species diversity, combining plants of different heights and functions to optimize sunlight, water, and nutrient use.
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Regenerative system design, rebuilding soil structure, increasing biodiversity, and creating systems that grow more fertile over time.
SAIA in Action
The Accelerator is already shaping learning and land use in Tanzania:
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Student engagement: Nearly 200 students from Sokoine University of Agriculture recently participated in field training, gaining firsthand experience in designing and managing syntropic systems.
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Community impact: In the Uluguru Mountains, SAT farmers supported by the Accelerator are transforming degraded land into productive, multi-species agroforestry plots that improve food security and ecosystem health.
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Applied research: Students and interns use the Accelerator’s demonstration sites to test tools like the FarmTree modelling software, improving predictions of biomass growth, carbon storage, and economic outcomes in agroforestry systems.
Looking Ahead
The Accelerator is expanding its reach, building a network of practitioners, researchers, and community leaders committed to restoring land through regenerative farming. By strengthening local capacity, promoting innovation, and supporting practical field application, it is helping shape a greener, more resilient future for Tanzania.
Looking Ahead
Through SAIA, the HeroTREEs program aims to scale regenerative farming practices across Tanzania and beyond, equipping the next generation of farmers, researchers, and practitioners with the knowledge and skills to restore degraded landscapes while improving livelihoods. By encouraging multi-faceted collaboration, applied learning, and innovation, the Accelerator is helping build a future where sustainable agriculture and ecosystem restoration go hand in hand.