Food forest business models in the Netherlands Challenges and opportunitites for scaling

Abstract

The global increase in population and its food demand are threatening ecosystems worldwide. Conventional monoculture practices have maximised production on the short term but have resulted in biodiversity loss, pollution, soil degradation, and desertification. Both researchers and politics stress the need for an agroecological transition. Recently, agroforestry has received renewed interest amongst scholars, this form of biodiversity-based agriculture reintroduces trees in agriculture to increase productivity and resiliency to climate changes. In the Netherlands, the food forest, a specific comprehensive type of agroforestry, is receiving increased attention. Food forests are designed multiple layer ecosystems that mimic the natural functioning of a forest and are based on edible perennial plants. Large societal transitions such as the agroecological transition require system changes and niches are increasingly recognized as important seeds for change. Because food forests are a relatively new phenomenon in the Dutch public and scientific landscape, fourteen food forests have been studied and analysed to gain a deeper understanding of these initiatives. A business model perspective is used to create a knowledge structure around food forests and to explore the possibilities and challenges for scaling. Business models are increasingly considered as a key to business success and for its potential to accelerate transitions through non-technological innovation. Four business model archetypes have been discovered, which significantly differ regarding their value proposition and how these values are created, exchanged and captured. The supporting and regulating ecosystem services form the basis of every food forest business model, while especially the provisioning and cultural ecosystem services are what differentiates them. The Recreational, Communal, Experimental, and Productional food forest each faces archetype specific challenges and opportunities for scaling.