Partnering to Support Sustainable Agriculture in Indian Country Through Impact Investments
Native American and other BIPOC farmers and ranchers have faced a long history of discrimination that, among other impacts, has limited their access to financial capital. Often, these producers are also offered higher interest rates on loans in conjunction with shorter repayment timelines, fueling crippling debt cycles. Community Development Finance Institutions (CDFIs) have sought to address these inequities by providing access to capital and financial literacy training. These institutions function like traditional banks but support underserved populations through a non-profit model. Earth Economics is honored to partner with Akiptan, a Dakotas-based CDFI serving Native American producers across Indian Country, to promote producer prosperity, food sovereignty, and self-reliance.
Earth Economics’ partnership with Akiptan supplements the development of their Strategic Plan, facilitated by Sweet Grass Consulting, with an Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) framework to track key impact metrics. With this data, Akiptan can attract impact investment funding to diversify their financial sources in support of Native American producers. Earth Economics will also conduct an ecosystem services valuation (ESV) of sustainable agricultural practices in Akiptan’s portfolio to illustrate for prospective investors the value of environmental public benefits.
We look forward to building on our previous work with agricultural impact investment firms (like Agriculture Capital and Farmland LP). This partnership marks our first venture into work with CDFIs and developing impact metrics in the ESG investment realm. We are excited to leverage our 20+ year history of quantifying ecosystem services values to expand ESG considerations, which historically have focused mainly on carbon dynamics. Our work will add a more holistic perspective of environmental values as public benefits. We look forward to expanding support for the communities Akiptan serves as well as developing future collaborations with additional CDFIs.
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