Fondation de la Synécoculture: Vers une agriculture de synthèse écologique et rentable

Author

Masatoshi Funabashi

Abstract

We introduce a novel system of agriculture based on the synthesis of ecosystems, namely “synecoculture”, mainly for the culture of vegetables and fruits. The synecoculture consists of associating plants according to their symbiotic interactions with soil, environment, and other vegetation, which augment the biodiversity of the culture beyond natural state. In such system, thinning harvest from mixed and dense vegetation is shown to be effective for both year-round harvest and weed control. We report an experiment of synecoculture in japan without soil cultivation, fertilizer, nor pesticide/herbicide. The results strongly imply the multifaceted possibility of synecoculture that are more ecological and profitable than conventional modern agriculture.