Putting Food on the Balance Sheet 2025

The financial services industry has every reason to become more invested in the transformation of food systems, but unlocking action at scale has proven challenging. While innovative financial structures already exist to mobilize capital, they remain far below the scale required. Global agrifood systems require annual investments of $1.1 trillion over the next five years to transition to more sustainable and resilient, food production models. Current investment flows account for barely ~5% of that.1 Against this backdrop, the finance industry has a pivotal role to play. A number of innovative financial models could lower investment barriers, and bring in a broad range of financial actors, from commercial banks and asset managers to agricultural banks, philanthropists and aid agencies. A defining feature of all these models is the need for coordinated action across the entire value chain, including farmers, agrifood companies, retailers, financial institutions, data providers and governments. Each of these models employs derisking strategies like guarantees, first-loss coverage and monetizing ecosystem outcomes. Ultimately, the urgent need to transform food systems represents more than just a challenge, it is a significant opportunity. For financiers, it offers the chance to tap into new markets, earn new revenue streams and strengthen portfolio resilience.Putting Food on the Balance Sheet: Financing Strategies to Scale Investment in Food Systems Transformation June 2025 Foreword Putting Food on the Balance Sheet 3