Posted by Rob Hefferon  |  January 10, 2023

2022 was a year of tremendous progress in our work-work made possible by our dedicated community of supporters. As we enter 2023 ready to partner with rural communities for even greater impact, here are our top five highlights from last year. 1. Celebrating 10 years of our Women in Agriculture Initiative This year marked a decade of…

Topics: Uncategorized |

Posted by Root Capital  |  November 9, 2022

With a team spanning four continents and many countries, we love any opportunity to connect and learn from each other. This summer, for the first time in years, we finally got the chance-with team retreats in the US, Kenya, Peru, and Mexico. After countless Zoom meetings, some folks met each other in person for the very first time. And for…

Topics: Our Community |

Posted by Scott McDonald  |  November 9, 2022

Impact investing is in the spotlight these days, primarily via a political backlash against environmental, social, and governance (ESG) investing criteria. Yet impact investing is also more popular-and more effective at generating both impact and returns-than ever.  Last month, a colleague and I represented Root Capital at prominent impact investing conferences (the Global Impacting Investing Network Investor Forum and…

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Posted by Root Capital  |  April 21, 2022

Eighty-five percent. That’s how much of our world’s need for climate finance is unmet according to the Climate Policy Initiative. As we bear witness to the ever-increasing threats of climate change on the world stage, we continue to fall far short of what’s needed.  Only 1.7% of global climate finance is directed to smallholder agriculture. Meanwhile, rural communities,…

Topics: Environment | News and Announcements |

Posted by Root Capital  |  April 15, 2022

Root Capital is pleased to welcome Scott McDonald as our new Chief External Affairs Officer. A longtime supporter of our work, Scott recently sat down with us to share more about his background and role at Root Capital. Over the past three-plus decades, Scott has contributed to game-changing organizations in the fields of social finance, international development, and more. Most…

Topics: News and Announcements | Our Community |

Posted by Isabel DoCampo  |  February 23, 2022

Note: Click here to learn more about how we conduct impact studies in rural communities. In Ghana’s Eastern Region, the world’s first organic- and Fair Trade-certified oil palm enterprise, Serendipalm, sources oil palm fruit from over 500 smallholder farmers. Eight hundred kilometers north, in the Upper East Region, a sorghum aggregator called Faranaya purchases grain from close to…

Topics: Livelihoods | News and Announcements | Stories of Impact | West Africa |

Posted by Root Capital  |  January 7, 2022

In 2021, rural communities persevered through a relentless pandemic, tore down barriers to gender equity, and innovated novel solutions to the climate crisis. In the face of dire circumstances, the resolve of agricultural enterprises-and the steadfast support of our partners-continued to move the needle for inclusion, equity, and sustainability in rural communities.  In case you missed it, we wanted to…

Topics: News and Announcements | Our Community | Stories of Impact |

Posted by Rob Hefferon  |  September 30, 2021

High in Rwanda’s southern mountains, farmers grow some of the highest-quality coffee on Earth. The volcanic soil gives beans a rich flavor that commands a premium price on the international market. But this specialty coffee is at risk-as are the livelihoods of the 400,000 smallholder farmers in the country who depend on it.  According to Jean Baptiste Munezero, the agronomic…

Topics: Advisory Services | Digital Business Intelligence | East Africa | Environment | Stories of Impact |

Posted by Rob Hefferon  |  September 30, 2021

In the highlands of Nicaragua, coffee farms dot the countryside, powering an industry worth nearly $500 million. Coffee is a big business-both in Nicaragua and globally-but it’s driven by small-scale farmers who are finding it increasingly difficult to make a living.  Here’s what it looks like: Lucía’s* family has grown coffee for generations. But what was once a profitable career…

Topics: Advisory Services | Livelihoods | Mexico and Central America |

Posted by Rob Hefferon  |  July 20, 2021

In this remote corner of Sumatra, Indonesia, thirty-foot long pythons slither across the jungle floors as leopards prowl the canopy above. The Leuser Ecosystem covers an awe-inspiring landscape from the peaks of towering mountains to the depths of peat-rich bog lands.  This ecosystem is the last place on earth where orangutans, rhinos, elephants, and tigers coexist, and it’s a safe…

Topics: Environment | Southeast Asia | Stories of Impact |