Proforest participated in LARIS 2026, the Latin American Regenerative Investment Summit

Proforest participated in LARIS 2026, an event that brought together private sector actors, organisations, investors and enterprises focused on advancing regenerative models in Latin America. The event highlighted two key conclusions that shaped discussions throughout the summit: the central role of producers in implementing regenerative initiatives, and the need to move towards integrated approaches rather than isolated actions.

The producer as a central actor of change

One of the main messages from the event was that regenerative initiatives are only viable if they deliver clear and tangible benefits for producers.

Discussions emphasised that, while environmental narratives remain important, they are not sufficient on their own to drive adoption. Factors such as productivity, climate resilience and cost reduction are key determinants in decision-making at farm level.

In this context, project design must focus on aligning environmental objectives with the economic realities of producers, recognising them as key actors in implementation.

From isolated practices to integrated systems

Another cross-cutting conclusion was that regeneration requires systemic transformations in production systems.

Conversations highlighted that implementing individual practices —such as changes in soil or livestock management— is not enough to achieve sustainable outcomes. Instead, integrated approaches are needed, combining multiple components including production, finance, social and market dimensions.
This integrated approach is also linked to a growing demand from companies and investors for greater traceability and system-level evidence of impact.

Four key areas to advance the regenerative agenda

During the summit, discussions were organised around four main areas:

• Regenerative agriculture, focused on soil restoration and the resilience of production systems.
• Regenerative livestock, with an emphasis on models that contribute to landscape regeneration.
• Regenerative finance, aimed at aligning capital with long-term positive impact.
• Regenerative tourism, focused on generating value for communities and ecosystems.

Connecting projects with finance

The event brought together investment funds and financial organisations, including philanthropic funds, interested in identifying projects with funding potential in the region.
Dedicated spaces were created for organisations and entrepreneurs to present their initiatives to potential investors and strategic partners, with the aim of facilitating implementation and scaling.

In addition to the main conclusions, the event reinforced several important trends:

• Regenerative agriculture is establishing itself as a business priority
  Beyond being considered an emerging trend, it is increasingly being integrated into supply chains as part of corporate sustainability and sourcing strategies.
• Regeneration needs to scale more rapidly
  There is growing consensus that pilot projects are no longer sufficient. The current challenge is to embed regenerative approaches across entire supply chains, delivering measurable and sustained results over time.
• Financing remains a bottleneck 
  Although there is interest from investors, there is still a need to design financial mechanisms that share risks and create clear incentives for producers, facilitating adoption at scale.
• Impact measurement is critical
  Demand for evidence is increasing. Companies and investors are seeking consistent, comparable and evidence-based metrics, particularly in areas such as soil health, carbon and biodiversity.
• Collaboration is essential to move forward
  The event highlighted the need for stronger coordination between companies, investors and producers, to better align objectives, timelines and expectations in implementation.
• A practical, producer-centred approach is key
  Adoption only takes place when regenerative practices are technically and economically viable on the ground, reinforcing the need to design solutions suited to production realities.
• Growing pressure for traceability
  Companies are increasingly seeking greater visibility on production practices at farm level and on product origin.
• A shift in focus: from carbon to productive value
  While carbon remains relevant, key drivers are shifting towards productivity, climate resilience and cost efficiency.