Making regenerative agriculture investable and scalable

Regenerative agriculture will not scale on promise alone. Evidence of its potential continues to grow, but it does not provide a ready-made pathway for adoption at scale. Approaches and outcomes will vary by context; the practical challenge is to understand which differences matter, how programmes and business models should adapt, and which lessons can inform decisions in comparable settings. Drawing on SNV’s implementation experience, published research, and evidence from other organisations, this paper identifies six implications for farmer decision making, service ecosystems, business and delivery models, shared sourcing landscapes, public finance, and cumulative learning. Written for farming communities, policymakers, businesses, investors, funders, and implementing organisations, it offers a candid account of what must be tested, adapted, and coordinated to move beyond isolated pilots and support African agrifood systems transformation under the Kampala Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) Strategy and Action Plan.

Rowena Namatovu, Global Advisor, SNV

John Belt and Wim Spieringhs, SNV

A summary of the full paper is available for download here.

For more information on SNV and partners' work on regenerative agriculture, read our position paper.