On September 30th, the Zero Deforestation Learning Series was organized by the Team Europe Initiative on Deforestation-Free Value Chains, in collaboration with Climate & Company. The webinar brought together nearly 60 participants from the finance, government, civil society, and private sectors to explore innovative approaches for creating deforestation-free and inclusive agricultural value chains. The discussions were lively and insightful, with a central focus on how finance can serve as a powerful driver of transformative change.
Missed the life session? Watch the full webinar about Green Financing in the video below:
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[03:02] Kristina Lyadskaya (Climate & Company) opened the session with her presentation on the “Building Blocks approach in Developing EUDR-aligned (deforestation-free) Financing for Smallholders”, a modular framework to align finance with the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR). She highlighted how targeted funding and cooperation across actors can turn compliance from a barrier into an opportunity for smallholders.
[15:45] Gerard Rijk (Profundo) followed with findings from their study “EUDR Compliance Costs”. Their data showed that compliance costs are often lower than expected and that most price effects fade before reaching consumers, a message that sparked much discussion among participants about equity and cost-sharing in global supply chains.
[32:54] From Brazil, Alexandra Teixera (IFAD) presented the “CompensAction”, a Payment-for-Ecosystem Services (PES) program, sharing insights from their ongoing project in Bahia, which links PES with rural development and poverty reduction. Her presentation showcased how agroforestry and social inclusion can work hand in hand to restore landscapes and strengthen local economies.
[43:58] Noura Hanna (Solidaridad) presented its “Carbon Farming Academy” program, developed by Solidaridad in partnership with Rabobank’s ACORN platform. Their approach empowers smallholders to access carbon markets through verified, deforestation-free production, diversifying farmers’ income and creating resilience. This initiative drew strong interest from participants about its scalability potential.
[59:44] Finally, Enzo Bernardinelli (Climate & Company) introduced the “Financial Solutions Database for Deforestation-free Production”, an open-access tool mapping over 80 financial mechanisms supporting deforestation-free agriculture in tropical countries (Ecuador, Brazil, DRC, Zambia, Vietnam and Indonesia). The initiative was praised for fostering new partnerships and helping stakeholders to identify and address financing gaps in this realm.
Throughout the session, participants expressed keen interest and optimism, engaging in dynamic exchanges. The shared takeaway from this exchange is that achieving deforestation-free value chains will require not only regulation but also creativity, cooperation, and a financial system ready to reward sustainability.
