Copyright ChangeInc

Regenerative agriculture, nature-inclusive agriculture: there are several names for agriculture that restores rather than taxes the soil. Whatever you call it, in the Netherlands this form of farming is still in its infancy. What needs to happen to get this form of agriculture off the ground properly? And what role does financing play in this transition?

During F&A Next, an event focusing on food and agricultural innovations, investors and entrepreneurs shared their views on the revenue model and financing of regenerative agriculture. The session was organized by Invest-NL in collaboration with Change Inc.

Switching

Every farmer can switch from traditional to regenerative agriculture, believes . He is an impact investor and partner at PYMWYMIC, which stands for the "put your money where your meaning is community. He also has his own regenerative farm. "Regenerative agriculture is all about restoring soil and biodiversity. If you do it right, there is also more money to be made from it."

That switch was not made overnight. Brad Vanstone, founder of , describes it as a long-term process. His company makes plant-based cheese from beans and legumes. Vanstone says, "It can take a fine five to seven years for the soil to recover. Only then do you really start to notice the difference. For our alternative to cheese, we like to source beans from regenerative growers. It's more sustainable and it adds to the taste. Although not all the farmers we buy from are that far along. It really is quite a journey."

Invest

That trajectory can be accelerated with the right financing, impact investor Van Dam knows. "But in practice people wait until something has really proven itself. Only then do more and more investors catch on." Although the investment climate is already different from three years ago. Van Dam: "Investing in good causes is slowly but surely becoming more popular."

Collaboration

Still, there are plenty of opportunities. For example, Diederik Greeve wants to see more cooperation within the food chain. At , he invests in companies that accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture. "Then you spread the risk and it's a little less exciting for each party. The step is sometimes too big for a single entrepreneur or organization. When you work together, much more is possible."

Ingrid Jonkers agrees. With , among other things, she makes biostimulants from seaweed that farmers can use on their land. This reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers. Jonkers: "One company can help another, just as The Seaweed Company can give farmers a helping hand in their journey towards more natural agriculture. Growers, investors and buyers: all parties must work together if regenerative agriculture is to become a good business model."

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