Seed capital

The Z Zurich Foundation aims to take Instituto Terra’s crucial efforts to train marginalized youth in sustainable agriculture to the next level. The Foundation is Zurich’s main vehicle to deliver on its global community investment strategy. Founded in 1973 to mark Zurich’s centenary, it provides support to communities worldwide, drawing on Zurich’s own expertise and experience, while working with private and public organizations. “Everyone talks about advances in society measured by technology or material wealth. But the true measure of progress is the degree to which our society supports all people,” says the Chair of the Foundation, Gary Shaughnessy.

Independent future

In October 2025, the Foundation approved a grant that will expand Instituto Terra’s ‘Núcleo de Estudos em Restauração Ecossistêmica’ program, which gives young people the skills and knowledge to find meaningful employment in sustainable agriculture. Known as ‘NERE’ for short, the program provides opportunities for young people from vulnerable backgrounds to acquire specialized education and practical experience in agroecology and restoring ecosystems. That is in line with Instituto Terra’s aim to secure meaningful employment in sustainable agriculture for young people who otherwise lack access to such education or experience.

NERE’s goals also match well with the Foundation’s own, which include helping people to have a better chance of achieving social equality. One powerful way to do that is by supporting young people and giving them pathways to an independent future. As Shaughnessy describes it: “With the funding we are providing, we are taking NERE a step further, incorporating business skills, and helping to identify opportunities in the region needed to start or grow a sustainable livelihood.” This matters in the Doce River Basin, where many young people face barriers to education, employability, and entrepreneurship.

Breaking the cycle

“By giving access to training, skills and employers, we can address this gap and break the cycle of disadvantage,” Shaughnessy adds. With the Foundation’s support, NERE can create a ripple effect that extends beyond the students in its three-year program. That impact can reach participants’ families and communities. Its strengths include providing a much-needed channel to share expert insights into how best to deal with the vulnerabilities created by extreme weather and a changing climate. Both increasingly affect agriculture in areas like the Doce River Basin.

And, by offering online training, the grant can help Instituto Terra to expand its program well beyond its current reach, enhancing its potential to create greater impact. This approach allows the initiative to respond to emerging local needs as they arise. By linking the future of the land to sustainable practices, Instituto Terra can create an environment that offers viable futures for local families.

Teaching the teachers

The new grant will help the NERE program to grow in a self-sustaining way, giving it scope to strengthen the benefits it provides well into the future. And, as Instituto Terra helps to restore the natural environment through its work, the NERE program is also providing more opportunities to better equip people for sustainable farming. Practical skills and direct experience are central to preparing participants for real-world challenges.

“Access to expertise and learning in this way can help increase independence and realize everyone’s potential,” Shaughnessy says. “Linking climate resilience, social equity and economic development is good for all – not least our planet.”