A project based on planting trees in combination with crops is aimed at reducing water consumption and agrochemical use in agriculture in two rural areas of the southern Brazilian state of São Paulo. With the goal of protecting the environment, farmers have developed a technique in which the key factor is planting trees in the middle of crops. They have now obtained sponsorship from the state-owned oil company Petrobras.

The project, entitled "Fruits of Agroforestry", is a joint initiative of the Association of Agroforestry Farmers of Barra do Turvo and Cooperafloresta, in the Ribeira River valley.

"The shade provided by the trees keeps the soil moist, reducing the need for irrigation, while their roots provide needed nutrients, eliminating the need for agrochemicals," Pedro Oliveira de Souza, the president of Cooperafloresta, told Tierramérica.

The promoters of the project hope to share the knowledge of local farmers with farmers from across the country through practical courses taught to participants on farms where the technique is already being implemented.