A conversation with Jan-Gisbert Schultze, a VC investor who turned into a regenerative enthusiast and bought a small olive farm, which he is turning into the first syntropic farm in Salento, in Puglia (Italy), a region battered by monoculture olive trees.
After reading The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals by Michael Pollen, Jan got bitten by the regeneration bug. He attended courses with Joel Salatin, Gabe Brown and Ernst Goetch where he went deep into syntropic agroforestry. That led Jan to buy a masseria, a small farm in Puglia, in a region where now more than 15 million trees are dying because of modern agriculture, ploughing, chemicals and, of course, the xylella fastidiosa, a virus which seems to be the last straw on the camels back for these poor suffering trees. Finally, Jan managed to convince Dayana Andrade and Felipe Pasini, the oldest students of Ernst Goetch, to come and help regenerate his farm Amadeco.
The time of monoculture olives might be over in Salento, Puglia, but the future of olive trees as part of a diverse, extremely productive system seems just beginning, or coming back as there are records of the Romans already farming olive trees in a very diverse agroforestry system. Why is Jan so hopeful about the future, and what has accounting to do with it?
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In Investing in Regenerative Agriculture and Food podcast show we talk to the pioneers in the regenerative food and agriculture space to learn more on how to put our money to work to regenerate soil, people, local communities and ecosystems while making an appropriate and fair return. Hosted by Koen van Seijen.
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed financial advisor or investment professional before making any financial decisions.
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