Food Forest
A food forest, or forest garden, is a type of sustainable agroforestry system that mimics the structure and functions of a natural forest but focuses on growing edible plants, including fruits, vegetables, herbs, and nuts. In a food forest, plants are strategically arranged in different layers, creating a diverse and productive ecosystem that requires less maintenance and supports biodiversity.
Key Features of a Food Forest:
- Layers: Food forests typically have seven layers:
- Canopy Trees: Tall fruit and nut trees that provide shade and shelter.
- Subcanopy Trees: Smaller fruit and nut trees that thrive in the partial shade of the canopy layer.
- Shrubs: Berry bushes and fruiting shrubs.
- Herbaceous Layer: Low-growing herbs and vegetables.
- Ground Cover: Plants that cover the soil, suppress weeds, and protect against erosion.
- Climbers: Vines and climbing plants that utilize vertical space.
- Root Layer: Edible plants with underground parts, like tubers and bulbs.
- Polyculture: Food forests promote polyculture, which means growing multiple species together. This diversity enhances ecological resilience and reduces the risk of pests and diseases.
- Perennial Plants: Most plants in a food forest are perennials, which means they live for multiple years. This minimizes the need for replanting and promotes long-term sustainability.
- Natural Processes: Food forests aim to mimic natural ecosystems by using natural processes like nutrient cycling and beneficial interactions between plants and organisms.
Species to Include in Arid Southern Africa: When creating a food forest in arid regions of Southern Africa, it’s essential to choose plants that are well-adapted to dry conditions. Here are some suitable species for each layer:
- Canopy Trees:
- Marula (Sclerocarya birrea)
- Baobab (Adansonia digitata)
- Moringa (Moringa oleifera)
- Subcanopy Trees:
- Wild Plum (Harpephyllum caffrum)
- Monkey Orange (Strychnos spp.)
- Shrubs:
- Num-Num (Carissa macrocarpa)
- Natal Plum (Carissa bispinosa)
- Herbaceous Layer:
- Spekboom (Portulacaria afra)
- Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
- Ground Cover:
- Creeping Rosemary (Carpobrotus edulis)
- Namaqualand Daisy (Dimorphotheca sinuata)
- Climbers:
- Indigenous Grapevine (Rhoicissus spp.)
- Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis)
- Root Layer:
- Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas)
- Wild Onion (Tulbaghia violacea)
These are just a few examples, and there are many more suitable species for an arid food forest in Southern Africa. It’s essential to consider factors such as local climate, soil conditions, and water availability when selecting plants for your food forest. Additionally, incorporating native and drought-resistant species can enhance the ecosystem’s sustainability and promote biodiversity.
Creating a food forest is an exciting and rewarding way to grow food while supporting the environment. By embracing the principles of a food forest and choosing appropriate species, you can create a resilient and abundant oasis even in arid regions.
Here’s some more info:
Plant Wild forests in circles. Make a bed of 2.5m diameter. Put a big tree (ideally food or fodder tree) in the middle for shade and wind protection. Plant medium trees in the rest of the circle, plant climbers like cucumbers to climb up the tree, plant pumpkins etc on the outside so they have space to grow out and they will fix nitrogen
This is an incredible natural food forest grown in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
Here are some common combinations you could try:
Rain fed Forest
Use a high growing legume (nitrogen fixer) and grow it like a large umbrella, then plant everything else underneath (like cleavers” or “stickywilly.” under a Camelthorn). Our Acacias are Legumes – so we can use all of them. Perhaps use fast growing ones like the Apies doring.
We should also plant a lot of big trees in rows across the landscape – species which can survive and thrive over time and grow fast – these rows will influence the wind which will in turn create more rainfall. (Would be an interesting experiment :))
We can use tree planting water pots (pots holding a years supply of water, 16 Litres. See the Groasis Waterboxx ) to establish these trees without irrigation pipes.
You should not grow root crops in greywater reed beds – but you can grow leaf crops.
Desert food forest chop n drop – coppicing to increase yield by building soil. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UKHRjAEgjHM
We protect our young trees with a tree shelter such as those from Tubex. https://www.tubex.com/
Drip Irrigated Forest
Some forests guilds may thrive but we will need to “seed” them with drip irrigation so that the trees can establish themselves.
How about Apiesdoring, Sweetpotato?
Greywater Forest
Our more productive forests will likely need more water. These can be established close to greywater or blackwater reed beds or gravel pits. As the forest gets established we can grow them out from there. Can we grow coffee here?? We could get 40kg of coffee per tree…lets try!!
Designing the food forest;
When designing Food forests, consider the physical layers (7 layers) and the time stack (so you have fast growing nitrogen fixing ground covers first, then shrubs, bushes, small trees then large trees and you end up with permanent nitrogen fixer as climax. You will have the time layers at the edge of the forest where you keep growing it outward.
Worthwhile videos
Great! Here’s a long, detailed, and deeply informative article that can be used on your Food Forest page, blog, or even turned into a workshop handout or educational poster:
Roots of Abundance: The Essential Books and Global Voices Behind the Food Forest Movement
Food forests—also called forest gardens, perennial polycultures, or edible ecosystems—represent one of the most powerful and regenerative approaches to growing food. Unlike monoculture farming, food forests work with nature, not against it. They are inspired by natural forest systems, designed with multiple layers of productive and supportive species, from canopy trees to root crops, forming diverse, resilient ecosystems that regenerate soil, hold water, and feed people for generations.
Though food forests are often presented as a modern permaculture innovation, they are rooted in indigenous land management practices that span continents and centuries. From home gardens in Kerala and Chagga gardens on Mount Kilimanjaro, to the Amazonian terra preta forests and Pacific Island agroforests, people have long understood how to work with nature to create abundance.
The global resurgence of food forests owes much to a handful of powerful books and pioneering individuals who have not only documented these ancient practices but reimagined them for today’s world. Below, we explore the most influential books and voices—globally and across Africa—that are shaping the movement and giving rise to climate-resilient, nutrient-dense, and socially regenerative landscapes.
The Most Important Books on Food Forests
1. Edible Forest Gardens (Volume 1 & 2) – Dave Jacke with Eric Toensmeier
Volume 1: Vision and Theory
Volume 2: Design and Practice
If there is one definitive text on food forest design, especially for temperate climates, this two-volume series is it. Edible Forest Gardens is both a philosophical treatise and a technical manual, combining deep ecological understanding with real-world design tools.
• Volume 1 lays the foundation. It introduces ecological design, succession theory, guild-building, and the seven-layer model of forest gardening.
• Volume 2 dives into site analysis, plant selection, design methodology, and detailed case studies. It includes over 300 pages of charts, diagrams, and plant lists.
Why it matters:
Jacke and Toensmeier helped bridge the gap between wild ecology and human design, making food forests practical for homeowners, farmers, and land designers. It’s dense, detailed, and not for the faint of heart—but absolutely essential.
2. Creating a Forest Garden: Working with Nature to Grow Edible Crops – Martin Crawford
Martin Crawford has been developing a forest garden in Devon, UK, for over 25 years. This book distils his experience into a beautifully illustrated, accessible guide. It’s a practical companion to Edible Forest Gardens, with hundreds of plant profiles for European and some subtropical climates.
Highlights:
• Clear guidance on climate, soil, and spacing
• Focus on maintenance-light, long-term systems
• Charts that outline light levels, root depths, and beneficial relationships
• Introduces underutilised crops, many of which are highly nutritious and climate-resilient
Crawford’s work also includes a seed and plant business and ongoing research at the Agroforestry Research Trust.
3. Gaia’s Garden: A Guide to Home-Scale Permaculture – Toby Hemenway
An award-winning classic that brings permaculture to the urban and suburban scale. Hemenway makes the idea of food forests approachable for people with backyards and small plots.
What makes it special:
• Simplifies the concept of ecological gardening
• Introduces plant guilds and food forest design in small spaces
• Very accessible for beginners and non-specialists
• Full of stories and real-world examples
While focused on temperate regions, the core principles—diversity, observation, succession, and soil care—apply universally.
4. Permaculture: A Designers’ Manual – Bill Mollison
The foundational text of permaculture, written by its co-founder. This manual covers everything from climate and water systems to earthworks and agroforestry. The chapters on trees, forests, and patterns in nature lay the groundwork for modern food forest systems.
Though more theoretical and global in scope, this is the “bible” of permaculture and essential reading for serious designers and educators.
5. The Tropical Permaculture Guidebook – by Lachlan McKenzie, Ego Lemos & the Timor-Leste team
This open-source masterpiece is tailored for tropical and subtropical regions—perfect for much of Africa’s semi-arid, savanna, and humid zones. It’s a hands-on, visually rich guide that covers:
• Food forests
• Water harvesting
• Soil regeneration
• Seed saving
• Community resilience
Available for free download and increasingly being used in permaculture education in East and Southern Africa, it is both practical and culturally appropriate.
Other Honorable Mentions:
• The Forest Garden Greenhouse – Jerome Osentowski (for integrating food forests in cold climates)
• Agroforestry for Sustainable Agriculture – Edited by Mary Jane Angelo & David R. Montgomery
• The Resilient Farm and Homestead – Ben Falk (includes perennial systems and food forest elements in rugged terrain)
Leading Global Voices in the Food Forest Movement
1. Martin Crawford (UK)
A quiet but powerful presence, Crawford’s research and demonstration site in Devon is one of the best-known food forests in the world. His seed business and detailed plant knowledge have helped thousands of people start their own systems.
2. Eric Toensmeier (USA)
Co-author of Edible Forest Gardens and author of The Carbon Farming Solution, Toensmeier promotes climate-resilient perennials, especially in tropical zones. He is a passionate advocate for integrating food forests into urban spaces, refugee settlements, and degraded lands.
3. Geoff Lawton (Australia)
Geoff is the face of modern permaculture. Through his engaging videos and teaching platform, he has popularised food forests globally, with successful projects in Jordan, Morocco, the US, and beyond. His famous “Greening the Desert” video shows how food forests can thrive even in the harshest desert climates.
4. Dave Jacke (USA)
Though less public-facing, Jacke’s work has deeply influenced regenerative designers through his systems-based thinking and ecological approach. His concepts like guilds, niche analysis, and patch dynamics have become standard in forest garden design.
5. Robyn Francis (Australia)
Founder of the Permaculture College Australia, Francis has helped integrate food forests into education, tourism, and international development—especially in Southeast Asia and Africa.
African Voices & Food Forest Leaders
Africa is full of food forest knowledge—both ancient and emerging. While fewer African voices have global platforms, many are doing powerful grassroots work:
🇿🇼 Incredible Impact (Zimbabwe)
This project turns dryland farms into thriving food forests through permaculture design, focusing on community transformation, water harvesting, and traditional knowledge. Their work integrates nutrition, income, and education.
🇰🇪 PRI Kenya (Permaculture Research Institute Kenya)
Trains teachers, farmers, and youth to set up food forests across Kenya. Their school-based projects have created resilient learning gardens, often doubling as nutrition sources and biodiversity zones.
🇲🇿 The Manda Wilderness Project (Mozambique)
A lesser-known but inspiring project using forest gardens and agroecology to revitalise rural livelihoods in the remote north of Mozambique.
🇿🇦 Food Forest Foundation (South Africa)
Works with communities to plant school and community food forests. Offers practical, scalable training and hands-on implementation.
🇿🇼 Allan Savory (Zimbabwe)
Though better known for holistic grazing, Savory’s vision for ecosystem restoration overlaps with food forest thinking in marginal landscapes. His work influences arid region design globally.
🌍 ReSCOPE Programme (Southern Africa)
An educational initiative that uses Eco-Schools and permaculture to teach children across Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Uganda. Food forests are often part of school grounds.
Ancestral Roots: Indigenous Food Forests in Africa
Before permaculture had a name, Africa was home to diverse agroforestry systems:
• Chagga home gardens (Tanzania): A layered system of bananas, coffee, legumes, and trees.
• Faidherbia albida farming (Sahel): A nitrogen-fixing tree that drops leaves in the rainy season, allowing sun for crops.
• Parkland agroforests (West Africa): Shea, baobab, and locust bean trees managed alongside millet and sorghum.
• Sacred groves and homestead forests: Often preserved and maintained by traditional leaders, these are rich in food, medicine, and cultural meaning.
These systems are being rediscovered and revalued through permaculture and agroecology movements.
Final Thought: The Movement is Growing
The food forest movement is not a trend—it’s a return to how humans are meant to live with the land. Across the world and especially in Africa, people are planting for the future: designing abundance, regenerating soil, and restoring dignity to farming.
Whether you’re starting with a single moringa tree and a few beans, or designing a five-acre food forest around your home or school, you’re part of something bigger—a global movement to heal the land and feed the people.
