To stimulate sustainable agriculture and nature development, the Province of North Brabant will make funds available for the establishment of food forests from August 20, 2025, until the end of 2027. This food forest scheme is interesting for anyone who wants to establish a food forest outside the Nature Network Brabant.
What is a food forest?
Food forests resemble real forests and consist of various types of vegetation that are edible for humans. A food forest consists of tall and short trees, shrubs, herbaceous crops, ground covers, and climbing plants. When establishing a food forest, you follow the natural structure of a forest.
What does a food forest yield?
Food forests provide food and increase biodiversity (The variety of life in a given area). The different layers in the forest ensure that many different species of insects, birds, and other animals feel at home. The trees also sequester CO2 in the wood or soil and retain water. This ensures healthy soil and water quality. Additionally, trees strengthen natural resources such as the sponge effect of the soil and are important for insects and birds as natural pest control.
Why is this new scheme here?
With this food forest scheme, the province aims to stimulate practical experience with food forests and knowledge development about sustainable agriculture for Brabant farmers. They want to ensure that mainly local vegetable seedlings, fruit trees, or shrubs are produced.
Additionally, the scheme supports policy goals such as the Brabant Forest Strategy and the implementation of those policy goals in the Action Plan Brabant Trees 2.0. It also contributes to the goals of the Drought Agenda 2040 (refers to another website) and the Brabant Development Approach Nitrogen.
Important to know
Because a food forest takes time to develop, you have 7 years to establish the forest and a maintenance period of 5 years applies. Only food forests outside the Nature Network Brabant (refers to another website) are eligible for this subsidy.
Do you want to get started with a food forest?
Check all the requirements and conditions at the counter.