Fair Trade USA and Terrasos announced today the formalization of a partnership to explore biodiversity finance models that recognize and reward the role of farmers, fishers, and workers in protecting and restoring natural ecosystems. The collaboration aims to strengthen the connection between sustainable livelihoods and environmental stewardship by identifying opportunities to generate measurable biodiversity outcomes while creating value for producer communities.
“Fair Trade USA and Terrasos share common values to sustain the environment and support the financial future for those whose livelihood depends on the land and sea,” said Felipe Arango, CEO of Fair Trade USA. “We plan to build on the promise that together we can be a force for good by advancing biodiversity approaches.”
This partnership focuses on strengthening the connection between sustainable livelihoods and environmental stewardship by bringing together Fair Trade USA’s experience working directly with producers and Terrasos’ expertise in biodiversity finance,
“Producers are on the frontlines of climate change and biodiversity loss, yet the economic systems they operate in often fail to recognize their essential role as stewards of land, water, and ecosystems,” said Mariana Sarmiento, founder and CEO of Terrasos. “By working with Fair Trade USA, we have an opportunity to help design biodiversity approaches that are not only measurable and high-integrity, but also inclusive of the communities already managing and protecting nature.”
As global attention to biodiversity loss grows, companies, governments, and investors are seeking credible ways to support nature-positive outcomes. Biodiversity finance mechanisms, including conservation initiatives, habitat-based investments, and emerging biodiversity credit models, are creating new pathways to fund ecosystem protection and restoration.
Many farmers, fishers, and workers who manage biodiversity-rich landscapes and seascapes face barriers to participating in these emerging opportunities, including limited access to technical support, finance, measurement tools, and market connections. Bridging that gap is essential to ensuring that biodiversity finance is both effective and equitable.
Farmers and workers in Fair Trade Certified™ supply chains are already implementing practices that support ecosystems, including sustainable agriculture, responsible fishing, and improved land management. Building on these efforts can help:
- Support income diversification alongside traditional commodities
- Strengthen climate resilience at the farm and community level
- Reinforce biodiversity stewardship across landscapes and seascapes
Through Fair Trade Community Development Funds, producers already invest in projects that improve environmental outcomes and strengthen their communities. Expanding approaches that recognize and support these efforts can further contribute to long-term sustainability.
Terrasos contributes technical expertise, project design, and financial structuring that can help connect on-the-ground practices with broader environmental markets and investment mechanisms.
About Fair Trade USA
Fair Trade USA, a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the leading certifier of Fair Trade products in North America. It offers award-winning, rigorous, and globally recognized sustainable sourcing certification programs that improve livelihoods, protect the environment, and build resilient, transparent supply chains. Fair Trade’s Certified™ label on a product signifies that it was made according to stringent Fair Trade standards.
About Terrasos
Terrasos is a certified B Corporation specializing in the structuring and operation of environmental investments that generate measurable biodiversity outcomes. The company designs and implements solutions including Habitat Banks, biodiversity units, environmental compensation mechanisms, impact analysis, intervention strategies, and data management systems. Terrasos works with public and private sector partners to mobilize finance for conservation, restoration, and sustainable land management, under the principle that sustainable development requires a balance between economic, social, and environmental outcomes.