Enabling citizens to invest in the future of farming

The new model raises funds from citizen investors to purchase land for agroecological farming

Spotted: France is facing a coming agricultural manpower crisis. Around 55 per cent of farmers in France are over 50 years old, meaning they will be retiring by 2030. At the same time, new farmers are not entering the field in large numbers due to the high price of land.

To solve these problems, agricultural startup Feve has developed an innovative way of financing the purchase of land for a new generation of ecologically minded farmers. Using a citizen investment model, Feve raises money for a fund that acquires agricultural lands.

Farmlands are then leased to new farmers who have committed to respecting certain environmental criteria. After seven years, the farmers can activate a purchase option to buy back the land and become owners. The startup has also created a free digital platform, La Grange, to help farmers acquire training and experience, find the right farm, and share their experiences with others.

To date, Feve has raised €14.3 million from 1396 investors, financed 18 farms, and converted 1,313 hectares to agroecology. The company is working to further develop its digital platform and improve the monitoring and support given to farms. The goal is to provide financing to 100 agroecological farms a year by 2025. Feve was also recognised at this year’s Coups de Cœur session at the. ChangeNow summit in Paris.

Sustainable farming is seeing a huge surge of interest, with innovations such as carbon-neutral ammonia and enhanced seeds for desert farming.

Written By: Lisa Magloff