Production overview
The project allocates 13,838 m² to establishing an agro-ecological garden designed as the foundation for long-term sustainability across three production cycle lengths — short, medium, and long — simultaneously. This multi-strata production model is the core principle of syntropic farming: different species occupying different vertical and temporal niches, managing each other’s growth and producing revenue at different timescales. Produce from the garden is distributed through organic markets, promoting access to healthy and sustainable food within the local community. The long-term distribution goal is to expand to national supermarket chains — building the kind of formal market relationship that anchors the farm’s revenue predictability and demonstrates the commercial viability of regenerative production at scale. Every crop bed, plot boundary, and production zone is individually GPS-registered via Silvi and monitored via satellite through the full MRV stack. Vegetation health across the garden is tracked through NDVI, NDRE, and MSAVI indices on each Sentinel overpass cycle.Productive diversification and species conservation
SDG 15 — Life on LandSDG 2 — Zero Hunger
Fruit and agroforestry production
In the higher areas of the land, fruit orchards are established with key crops that serve dual roles — commercial production and ecological restoration. Primary species include Lipsticktree, passion fruit, and Indian Yam. Additionally, the project prioritizes the rescue of endangered fruit species including Custard Apple and soursop — contributing to the preservation of the region’s agrobiological heritage alongside commercial production. This agroforestry structure embodies the third regeneration principle: enhancement of biodiversity through crop rotation, agroforestry, and silvo-pasture techniques.Wildlife sustainability and ecological restoration
A multi-species plantation system supports ecological restoration and local wildlife across the farm. Species are selected for four ecological roles:| Category | Species | GBIF reference |
|---|---|---|
| Palm & canopy | Hispaniola palmetto | Native, regionally significant |
| Fruit-bearing | Naseberry | Sapotaceae family |
| Fruit-bearing | Star Apple | Sapotaceae family |
| Fruit-bearing | Mammee Apple | High ecological value |
| Fruit-bearing | Custard Apple | At-risk, conserved in nursery |
| Agroforestry | Jagua | Native, high ecological value |
| Agroforestry | Cashew | Multi-use, native analog |
| Agroforestry | Guavaberry | Cultural and ecological significance |
| Agroforestry | Congo coffee tree | Understory canopy species |
| Cacao | Native cacao | Native variety, heritage preservation |
| Hedgerow | Florida fiddlewood | Ornamental and habitat species |
| Ground cover | Princess vine, bejuco | Ecological corridor support |
| Hardwood | Logwood | Habitat and dyewood species |
Nursery for the conservation of at-risk species
Agro-ecological techniques and soil regeneration
SDG 15 — Life on LandSDG 13 — Climate Action
Biochar for soil improvement and carbon sequestration
All crops at Adelphi are managed using biochar — produced on-site from bamboo found along the farm’s boundary perimeter. The production process uses pyrolysis (controlled high-temperature combustion in a low-oxygen environment) and incorporates mineral-rich rocks to amplify soil regeneration and nutrient retention capacity. Biochar achieves two simultaneous outcomes that are central to the Kokonut Framework’s ecological commitments:- Soil improvement: Biochar improves water retention, increases cation exchange capacity (nutrient availability), and enhances microbial habitat — measurable through soil electrical conductivity readings on the farm’s ground probes.
- Carbon sequestration: Once incorporated into soil, biochar sequesters carbon in a stable form that persists for centuries. Biochar application at Adelphi is estimated to boost the farm’s baseline carbon sequestration rate (0.4–1.2 metric tons CO₂e per acre per year) by approximately 18% over non-biochar regenerative farms. This is tracked and reported via the annual MRV impact report.
Syntropic farming plots
Two plots of land are dedicated to full syntropic farming implementation — optimizing plant interactions across all four vertical strata (ground cover, low canopy, medium canopy, high canopy) to strengthen biodiversity and restore soil fertility without external inputs. These plots serve as the living demonstration of the methodology behind the entire farm: syntropic farming as developed by Ernst Götsch, applied to the Dominican Republic’s specific soil conditions, climate, and native species. Species selections for these plots combine native agroforestry species with the commercial crops in the harvest forecast to produce a self-managing, increasingly productive system over time. The syntropic plots embody the first and second regeneration principles: elimination of mechanical and chemical field treatments, and year-round cover crops that prevent bare soils and mitigate erosion.Vegetative cover systems and erosion control
To protect and regenerate the soil across the farm, a permanent ground cover system is implemented using beard grass along the edges of terraced areas. This strategy reduces erosion on the farm’s sloped terrain, improves soil structure over time by building organic matter at the surface, and ensures a resilient production system during the heavy rainfall periods typical of the Monte Plata region. Beard grass at terrace edges is a direct implementation of the second regeneration principle: year-round cover crops that prevent bare soils, provide forage material, and build the organic matter that underlies long-term soil fertility.Regenerative poultry production
SDG 8 — Decent WorkSDG 15 — Life on Land
Free-range egg production
A small-scale poultry operation is established with 110 free-range laying hens, producing an estimated 100 eggs per day. The hens are fed with forage grown on-site — primarily Pangola grass — optimizing the use of local resources and eliminating feed import dependency. Free-range poultry management is a direct implementation of the fourth regeneration principle: incorporation of livestock into agricultural production. The hens manage ground cover, add organic matter, and reduce pest pressure — contributing to soil fertility across the production beds while generating their own revenue stream.Closed-loop organic waste management
Poultry manure is processed into humic acids and organic urea — essential biofertilizers for the bio-intensive garden that replace all synthetic nitrogen inputs. This processing closes the nutrient cycle within the farm:Infrastructure and training
Agro-ecological training and education space
SDG 4 — Quality EducationSDG 8 — Decent Work
A multipurpose gazebo serves as the farm’s community hub — operating simultaneously as a dining area, meeting room, and training center. This space hosts regular workshops and courses on:
- Organic farming principles and syntropic planting techniques
- Agroforestry design and native species propagation
- Ecological regeneration — biochar production, soil health, water retention
- Sustainable poultry management and organic waste processing The education center is designed for the community as much as for farm operators — targeting farmers, children, the elderly, and anyone interested in connecting with sustainable land stewardship. This infrastructure directly addresses both the sustainable farming education gap and the knowledge transfer problem identified in the Kokonut Network’s community mission.
Organic certification and market distribution
SDG 2 — Zero HungerSDG 12 — Responsible Consumption
Adelphi is pursuing official organic certification from the Dominican Republic’s Ministry of Agriculture — ensuring compliance with quality and sustainability standards that unlock premium market access and formal institutional distribution channels.
Current certification status: in progress. Once achieved, harvested products will be distributed through:
- Specialized organic food businesses — direct relationships with organic market networks in the region
- Local and regional supermarkets — building the formal supply chain relationships that anchor long-term revenue predictability
- Community direct sales — maintaining the local food security dimension of the project alongside commercial distribution
Expansion and conservation
Adelphi’s medium-term plan includes acquiring adjacent land for the preservation of local flora and fauna — extending the biodiversity conservation zone beyond the current farm boundary and increasing organic vegetable production capacity to serve a wider community. Any land acquisition will require a formal DAO funding proposal through the Kokonut governance process — ensuring the community governs the expansion rather than a single decision-maker. The Farm Funding proposal template provides the structure for this.Crops & Harvest Forecast
The production formula and revenue projections for each crop — how the three-cycle model generates $149,110/yr from the infrastructure documented here.
MRV — How it's measured
How every crop bed, soil probe, and satellite pass generates verified, on-chain impact data — and how the infrastructure on this page produces the data the MRV stack measures.
5 Principles of Regeneration
The Kokonut Framework principles that every technique on this page implements — cover crops, animal integration, perennial crops, no-till, and compost cycling.
Why Syntropic Farming
The agronomic methodology behind the syntropic plots — why Adelphi chose this approach and what it produces over time that conventional farming cannot.
Sustainable Development Goals
How the infrastructure documented on this page maps to each of Adelphi’s five SDG commitments — verified through the MRV framework.
Background Story
Why Yanny and Neury built this specific infrastructure — the personal and community motivations behind each design decision.