Landscape regeneration relies on thriving local economies. Cooperatives, family-owned agribusinesses, social enterprises and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) connect communities to markets, turn sustainable production into livelihoods and help bring regenerative products into global supply chains. They are a vital part of making landscape restoration economically sustainable.
Unfortunately, these businesses are often the hardest to finance. Across ASEAN, SMEs face a financing gap of more than US$1 trillion, and the enterprises key to landscape regeneration are often those least able to access conventional funding. They are too small for institutional investors, too complex for commercial banks and too closely tied to local communities to fit traditional investment models.
This lab explores how stronger connections can be built across the entire supply chain. It will also examine the mix of enterprise types needed to support regeneration, the relationships that help them grow together and the financing approaches that can better meet their needs. Additionally, the discussion will focus on governance and accountability, ensuring that growth strengthens both communities and ecosystems. At its core is a simple but important question: how can enterprise ecosystems remain inclusive of the smallholders whose knowledge, stewardship and livelihoods are essential to long-term landscape regeneration?
