Life in Syntropy

With a background in environmental science and sustainable agriculture, Felipe Pasini spent nearly two decades working alongside renowned Brazilian agronomist Ernst Götsch immersing himself in the principles of syntropic farming. Together, with his partner Dayana Andrade, he authored the book Vida em Sintropia (Life in Syntropy), which consolidated years of research and practice and launched a greater mission to make the principles of syntropy more accessible worldwide through compelling storytelling paired with technical expertise.

In the fall of 2021, Felipe and Dayana arrived in Puglia to collaborate with German entrepreneurs Jan-Gisbert Schultze, Paul-Bernhard Kallen, and Christoph Braun who had acquired a farm in the heart of region infected by Olive Quick Decline Syndrome (Xylella fastidiosa).

Reviving a Landscape Devastated by Disease

Once thriving with olive groves, this area was brought to its knees by the devastating bacterial disease that led to the widespread collapse of its iconic agricultural landscape identity and revealed deeper systemic issues. “When we arrived in Salento, the situation felt like a mini-apocalypse.” Felipe explains. “The combination of climate extremes, ecosystem degradation, and the aftermath of the Xylella outbreak had created a perfect storm of challenges. Yet, we saw an opportunity in this seemingly hopeless scenario. If regeneration could be achieved here, it could offer hope and inspiration for many other places around the globe facing similar crises.”
 
So, they got to work with the focus of regenerating the 9 hectares through syntropic farming. 3 years later, soil organic matter has increased from 0.01% to 2%. Over 20,000 plants and trees representing more than 50 varieties have been planted integrating native species with a mix of productive and non-productive plants.

A Comeback Through Syntropy

By mimicking a Mediterranean semi-deciduous forest, Amadeco maximizes photosynthesis per unit area, which is key to increasing biomass production. Carefully layering different groups of plants (stratification) and organizing them to succeed one another according to their life cycles (ecological succession) ensures that photosynthesis never ceases. These processes work together to restore the land’s fertility and resilience while fostering a dynamic, self-sustaining ecosystem.

Inspiring & Revitalizing Communities

Amadeco is in the process of expanding into a highly diverse, multi-strata farm and expanding their educational programs to train more local farmers in syntropic agriculture. “The collapse of the olive monoculture has left many local farmers without options and we want to show that biodiversity and complexity can be a year-round profitable activity. By producing high-quality, diverse products like olive oil, fruits, aromatic plants, and timber we aim to demonstrate that it’s possible to align ecological health with economic success.” Felipe shares.

Today, Amadeco serves as a living testament of how agriculture, education, and communication can intertwine to restore landscapes and revitalise communities. Our work is not only about healing one piece of land.” Feliple says. “It’s about fostering a culture of regeneration that can ripple outward, inspiring others to take action in their own regions.