Smallholder farmers around the world are navigating increasingly unstable growing conditions. Prolonged droughts, shifting rainfall patterns, and unpredictable seasons are making it harder to grow crops, sustain incomes, and plan for the future.
At Root Capital, we know that resilient farming communities depend on resilient agricultural enterprises. Through our Climate Resilience Roadmap—a six-year strategy launched in 2020—we’re channeling finance and tailored advisory support to the small and growing agricultural businesses at the front lines of rural resilience. These enterprises connect millions of farmers to the training, capital, and markets they need to thrive. For more than 25 years, Root Capital has partnered with them to scale regenerative agriculture and deliver practical, locally-driven solutions.
Our newly released 2024 Climate Resilience Roadmap Annual Report shares what we’ve accomplished this year—and what we’re learning as resilience needs continue to evolve. In 2024:
- We disbursed $73.6 million to businesses investing in regenerative agriculture, clean energy, and resilient farm infrastructure.
- We reached 157 businesses with technical advisory—our highest annual total to date.
- Resilience grants enabled cooperatives in Peru to test new climate-resilient coffee varieties and expand credit access for women farmers.
- Women-led cooperative Rebuild Women’s Hope supported over 3,000 women farmers and continued to champion environmental stewardship, all while navigating violent regional conflict in the Congo Basin.
- We’re seeing new demand for irrigation financing—a shift driven by longer dry seasons and rising heat stress in crops like coffee and cocoa.
- Across our portfolio, agricultural businesses are proving to be effective gateways for deploying climate finance directly to farmers.
These stories reflect a broader truth: when rural enterprises have the right tools and resources, they deliver powerful results for their communities and their landscapes. Read the report now to learn more.