Fighting desertification through sustainable blueberry farming

Global consumers increasingly demand healthy food products, while there is  growing concern and awareness about the impact of their production on climate and nature. Meeting such demand requires agricultural models that protect natural resources and the ecosystems that sustain production.  

Our USD 20 million direct loan to Agrovision Peru supports the expansion of certified sustainable blueberry production while actively protecting local biodiversity demonstrating how purpose‑driven capital can unlock both, business growth and positive environmental impact.  

The investment also reflects the Fund’s growing focus on direct investments, enabling closer collaboration with companies. In agriculture, this approach allows for hands-on engagement to strengthen systems, address gaps, and embed sustainability practices over time.  

Concretely, our investment is envisaged to enable the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices across 2,200 hectares of blueberry production, generating the following impact:

• Water savings: Technified irrigation, fertigation, and hydroponic technologies will save up to 181,200 m³ of water annually.
• Reduced pesticide use: Adoption of pot planting, integrated pest management, and biological control methods will reduce chemical pesticide use by up to 54.6 tons annually, lowering reliance on synthetic agrochemicals and helping protect soil, water resources, and biodiversity.
• Lower fertilizer consumption: Hydroponic and fertigation systems will reduce the use of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium fertilizers by up to 155.1 tons per year, improving soil health and reducing environmental impacts.
• Lower greenhouse gas emissions: Hydroponic production systems will reduce emissions by up to 498.6 kg CO₂-eq, while minimizing water use and other environmental impacts associated with conventional cultivation methods.
• The investment will also strengthen compliance with international food safety, labor, and environmental standards, and improve both production efficiency and environmental performance.

While these individual achievements will be very valuable per se, collectively they will also make an important contribution to the recently published biodiversity impact indicator of the Fund. Developed with PRé Sustainability, the indicator compares conventional agricultural practices with the improved approaches adopted by Fund clients, helping quantify how sustainable production reduces pressure on ecosystems.