Regenerating Citrus, Restoring Land: Terra Viva’s Commitment to Sustainable Growth

Historical Roots & Agricultural Expertise

Terra Viva Group’s origins are closely tied to the founding of Holambra (São Paulo) - a city established by Dutch emigrants after World War II, now widely recognized as Brazil’s “City of Flowers.” Founded by the Schoenmakers family, one of the original Dutch settlers, Terra Viva was among the first to introduce large-scale flower production in the region.

With over six decades of diversified farming experience across the states of São Paulo (SP) and Minas Gerais (MG), the Group has evolved into a technically advanced and scalable agribusiness. Its operations are underpinned by robust infrastructure and clear intent to comply with Brazil’s Forest Code. As of today, Terra Viva manages approximately 9.000 hectares of land, with a diversified agricultural portfolio that includes flowers, potatoes, soybeans and citrus. Citrus cultivation alone spans 1,300 hectares in the Casa Branca region of São Paulo.

Challenge and Opportunity: Addressing Citrus Greening through Regeneration

The global citrus industry is facing a major challenge in the form of citrus greening disease, an infection which severely affects fruit quality and tree health of citrus plants, leading to declining yields and rising prices for citrus products. Terra Viva sees this challenge as an opportunity. Leveraging its long experience in citrus production, Terra Viva aims to expand its citrus operations sustainably (i.e. by increasing the usage of biological inputs) to a region with minimal existing orange cultivation thereby reducing the risk of disease transmission. The targeted land consists of previously degraded pastures, offering a prime opportunity for ecological restoration.

Carina Mendes, Relationship Manager of Rabobank Brazil:

“Terra Viva’s commitment to sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth positions it as a leader in regenerative agriculture. With the support of a tailored financing structure and a clear set of KPIs, the Group is not only restoring land but also reshaping the future of citrus farming in Brazil. As implementation begins, the impact of this partnership will extend beyond yields - contributing to ecological resilience, community empowerment and a more sustainable food system.”

Partnering for Impact

Given the nature of the investment (rehabilitating degraded land and adopting regenerative practices for citrus production) a longer loan tenor is essential. Rabo Partnerships’ Blended Finance team, in partnership with the Agri3 Fund (an agriculture-focused impact fund), has supported Rabobank Brazil in structuring a 10-year term facility tailored to the project’s needs. The extended tenor enables Terra Viva to:

Gradually rehabilitate degraded land;

Pilot and scale regenerative practices;

Mitigate short-term refinancing risks associated with uncertain outcomes.

Sustainability Commitments

Aligned with its growth ambitions and environmental and social (E&S) responsibilities, Terra Viva has committed to a set of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) as part of the financing structure. These include:

Demonstrate measurable land rehabilitation and sustainable intensification;

Increase the use of biological inputs;

Enhance women’s participation in leadership and the agricultural workforce;

Perform self-assessment against SAI Platform’s Silver Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) and undertake corrective actions, if necessary;

Develop a system for leased and sub-leased land to remain in compliance with Brazil’s Forest Code and Agri3’s standards on native vegetation.

The progress on the KPI’s will be tracked by Rabobank through our own staff and reported to Agri3.