The food, agriculture and planetary systems, for that matter, are all in serious need of change. No news there.
But how? Individual investments and grants, however large, will never be big enough to move these systems. What we need is a serious, deep analysis of the food and agriculture space within a certain context: hundreds of hours of interviews with many stakeholders to map the players, the positive and negative feedback loops, and the intervention points with huge leverage (or not), trying to make sense of the messiness of a system. No, a map is never the territory, but it’s better than no map.
Then what? How do we go from mapping to action? It is key to build dedicated funding vehicles for-profit, low-return, no-return, philanthropy, the whole capital spectrum concentrated on the highest leverage points in a system. And then, and only then, we might have a chance to move something.
CO_ is one of the most interesting regen investment vehicles we have come across, combining deep systems research with long-term, on-the-ground work, weaving until you have a common vision, and then deploying serious capital to make it work.
This is a long conversation where we walk and talk, with some dogs and helicopter noise and butterflies too. We talk water, landscape-scale regeneration, investing in the Global North and South, investor mindsets, relationship to wealth, what is enough, inequality, biodiversity hotspot research and funding, equity vs. debt, and why whales will be on investment committees soon.
ALL ROADS LEAD TO FOOD AND AGRICULTURE SYSTEMS
After an extensive research process involving deep listening and analysis of the polycrisis, CO_ team concluded that the most critical nexus for intervention is the intersection of biodiversity and food systems.
“If you do deep research and deep listening, it is at the nexus of biodiversity and food systems that we need to be working in.” Tania Rodriguez Riestra
TANIA LOVES (SYSTEMS) MAPS
Maps are not just technical tools but marvellous metaphors that blend observation with imagination, helping to envision the potential of landscapes in the same way early explorers did.
“I love maps. I love seeing maps. I’m just a map fanatic… What he was trying to illustrate and what he was trying to imagine, a territory that he couldn’t possibly see, is just a marvellous metaphor of what we’re talking about.” Tania Rodriguez Riestra
HOW TO GO FROM MAPPING TO ACTION
Successful landscape transformation requires more than just a good plan; it demands a genuine commitment to spending time with communities and building aligned partnerships before any capital is deployed.
“If we don’t have that time, if we’re not willing to spend the time to do that, our perspective is that you shouldn’t even enter.” Tania Rodriguez Riestra
WHAT DO WHALES AND DIDGERIDOOS HAVE TO DO WITH INVESTING IN REGENERATION?
As part of pushing the boundaries of systems change, Tania’s organisation is exploring how to give other species a voice in decision-making, using whales as an apex species to protect entire ecosystems.
“We are exploring the possibility of structuring a fund where whales essentially get centre stage in decision-making.” Tania Rodriguez Riestra
WHAT IS ENOUGH?
Reflecting on a lifetime of weaving together different worlds, Tania emphasises that true wealth is found in deep relationships and connection, not just in financial capital.
“This is the biggest privilege of my work, point blank. I just have beautiful relationships. I’m walking here in the park with you; this is wonderful. This is what life is about to me.” Tania Rodriguez Riestra
OTHER POINTS DISCUSSED
Koen and Tania also talked about
- why Tania uses weaving and the presencing work so much
- how an architect ended up in regeneration at scale
- why the combination of investing in food habits transition in the global north and landscape scale regeneration in the global south is such a powerful combination
- why Tania loves (systems) maps
- how to go from mapping to action
LINKS:
LINKED INTERVIEWS:
- Martin Reiter – Building a $100B home for regenerative brands
- Thekla Teunis and Gijs Boers – Regenerative practices deliver higher quality and higher prices in year one
- Yanniek Schoonhoven – Training the next generation of farmers with an academy and regenerative farm of 1100HA
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The above references an opinion and is for information and educational purposes only. It is not intended to be investment advice. Seek a duly licensed professional for investment advice.