Mathis Van Renterghem
Mathis Van Renterghem
Main Expertise
-
Agroforestry: polyculture systems with focus on wild plant integration
-
Water cycle restoration: on-site consulting, design and implementation
-
Plant multiplication and nursery
-
Community building
Language(s)
- English
- Dutch
- French
- Spanish (learning)
Based in
Belgium
Contact
Main Challenges for farmers transitioning
- Financial worries: to start breaking out of a conventional systems and face upfront costs, uncertain yields, and delayed returns requires careful planning and support over multiple years.
- Change must be at the right scale: start small to learn, but large and long enough to create visible impact without overwhelming.
Success stories
At a farm in Spain, we could observed that the abandoned olive grove did not naturally recover after management ceased. The system had become so dependent on human intervention that, once neglected, natural recovery declined rather than rebound. This experience highlighted a key insight: agricultural systems are not inherently self-restoring and require deliberate human action to reactivate ecological processes.
One principle you wish more people understood
“Regenerative agriculture is interweaving human needs within natural systems”
— What regenerative agriculture means to me
What you would say to future students of the agronomist program
- The experience will differ for everyone: diverse backgrounds strongly shape how the course is perceived, which is empowering as it helps you discover and deepen your own path while learning about your strengths through farmer interactions. Expect to dive deeply into your own personal journey and your interests with the opportunity to apply your expertise and experiment in a low-risk environment.
My future ambitions after this training
-
Continuing and expanding my career as a regenerative consultant in agroforestry and water cycle restoration, with a strong focus on implementation, all over Europe.
-
Build further on the Belgian non-profit organisation called ‘Moederplant’, focused on a community-run, decentralized nursery model serving and teaching schools and local communities. Currently focused on edible, perennial plants in an urban context.
-
Continue teaching about food forests and water cycle restoration at the Food Forest Institute
Learn Directly from the Experts
Apply for the next Regenerative Agronomy Training.
Our partners
Our partners
