Learning Series from Shifting Food Systems Launching In September

Starting in September, the Shifting Food Systems Collaborative Community is launching the Catalytic Finance Learning Series. 

This online learning series will feature architects of catalytic financing that the community believes represent what is needed, and will provide learnings to this community and the broader ecosystem. 

The Shifting Food Systems collaborative community is made up of global leaders from the philanthropic, community, business and government sectors who are working to create new insights and actions that will increase the scale, sustainability and impact of smallholder farming. You can see an update on the progress of these activities in our online magazine - https://synergosfoodsystemsmagazine.hflip.co/2026spring.html 

As part of this effort, the group identified catalytic finance as an essential leverage point in making systemic change. Specifically, the below has been defined as needed in this area: 

Without patient, systemic capital, regenerative transformation cannot take root.  

To create real leverage — and make system change tangible on the ground — we need to support the transition toward long-term integrated landscape management and restoration, which includes sustainable food systems, such as regenerative agriculture.  Within this, it helps to distinguish between two complementary financing approaches: 

The Catalytic Finance Working Group is co-led by Willem Ferwerda, Founder of Commonland and Annalyn Lavey, Founder of Genus Land.