The “breadbasket of the world” is also becoming a hub for development in biotechnology and nature-based solutions, generating a “green revolution” that the Soros Economic Development Fund (SEDF) wants to foster.

SEDF, the impact investment arm of the Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic network founded by George Soros , intends to expand its presence in Brazil. The assessment is that the country offers some of the most promising opportunities at the intersection of climate, nature, and economic development, a prime target for impact investments .

“Brazil is a hotbed of sustainable agtech and regenerative agriculture. This is much more developed here than in other parts of the world,” says Anita Fiori, director of the fund, to NeoFeed . “We see many opportunities to support the green revolution in Brazilian agriculture.”

Invited to speak at the South Summit Brazil , an event taking place from March 25th to 27th in Porto Alegre and for which NeoFeed is a media partner, Fiori highlighted that the fund is attentive to topics such as sustainable agriculture, bio-inputs , and restoration.

The assessment is that the country presents opportunities that exemplify how nature-based solutions and green industrial policies can support fairer, more efficient, and sustainable markets.

“We need to take advantage of what makes Brazil unique, which has to do with commodities and nature,” says Fiori. “Brazil can show the world how to move forward on these issues in the right way, with the greatest possible positive impact on society.”

Created in 1997, SEDF has already invested more than US$550 million in companies and platforms linked to the Open Society's missions, including environmental conservation, access to energy, women's reproductive rights, and independent media.

The fund invests up to US$100 million annually, with about a quarter allocated to nature-based solutions. Since 2024, it has committed US$35 million to the bioeconomy in Latin America.

In Brazil, its presence is still limited, but it is expected to grow. Fiori, who joined the fund in 2024 after stints at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank 's arm dedicated to private sector development in emerging markets, comes with the mission of increasing SEDF's presence in the country.

Recent investments include US$15 million in the Amazon Biodiversity Fund (ABF) in 2023 and US$8 million in SP Ventures ' Fund III in February, focused on biofertilizers and bioinsecticides.

Fiori says that SEDF is about to finalize an investment in a platform for reforestation initiatives and is considering, further down the line, working with critical minerals and rare earth elements , focusing on sustainable mining and respect for human rights.

“As we are a sister organization to a human rights NGO, we see many abuses in the production of these minerals. We are looking into whether we can use our capital to finance sustainable mining that takes this human rights issue seriously,” he says.

According to Fiori, the moment is opportune for impact investing, even with volatility and high interest rates . She argues that while traditional investors are currently more risk-averse due to market volatility, high interest rates, and the ambiguity that has taken over geopolitics, those who focus on impact investing continue to invest and find good opportunities.

The key difference lies in the long-term vision, which allows for risk-taking. “We are not afraid of risk, we are used to it. In these moments, we become even more important. We hold the asset for a long time,” says Fiori.

She takes the opportunity to rebut criticisms about financial returns, noting that at the IDB the portfolio showed an average return of 12% to 13% in dollars over ten years. For her, it's a matter of how to do it, and she points out that these are complex investments.

“Is it lower than the 20% that others show? It is lower, but there is all the social, environmental and economic impact that they are providing. It's not an app,” he says. “We are talking about long-term social and environmental changes, and that pays off, a good payoff. But you have to know how to do it.”