News & media Celebrating Nature Stewardship in Agriculture

27 November 2025

During my recent visit to Cayaltí to our portfolio company Yarabamba, a producer of blueberries, mandarins, and avocados, I had the privilege of meeting a truly inspiring woman, Lorena (front row middle, black shirt).

Lorena’s story is one of extraordinary dedication and passion. For more than two decades, she has championed the restoration of one of Peru’s most precious ecosystems: the last cloud forest on the western slope of the Andes, spanning the hydrological basins of the Zaña Valley. Designated as a Wildlife Refuge by the Ministry of Environment since 2011, this forest is home to more than 40 endemic species, each dependent on its unique microclimate and ecological balance.

Decades of intensive agriculture of commodified crops, along with large-scale mining and logging had pushed these forests to the brink. While Lorena’s mission of restoring this once thriving ecosystem was clear, the structural and financial barriers often felt insurmountable. Yet, she persisted. As she beautifully puts it, her voice “always rises in favour of those who cannot speak: the trees, the cedars and oaks, the spectacled bear, the yarundi, pumas, wild turkeys, and so many others” whose survival depends on this habitat.

Those barriers shifted when she met Yarabamba. In them, she found a long-term partner with both conviction and capability to help transform her vision into action. Over the past five years, Yarabamba has supported her work both financially and operationally, from building nurseries and cultivating native seedlings, to supporting community engagement and local advocacy. This partnership embodies the dual value of advancing environmental stewardship while strengthening the long-term resilience of agricultural operations. Indeed, restoring degraded forests and protecting upstream basins directly contributes to stable water availability, an essential element for sustainable fruit production in a region increasingly exposed to climatic stress.

Today, Yarabamba will plant its one-millionth tree. In a symbolic gesture, they will be planting the same species that appears on the Peruvian flag – an act that resonates deeply with Peru’s national commitment to restore 3.2 million hectares of forest. And this is only the beginning. Together, Lorena, Yarabamba, and their local and international partners are embarking on an ambitious path to plant 17 million native trees across the entire basin.

At Cordiant, we are proud to have supported Yarabamba from the outset as the company made the acquisition of land previously used for water-intensive sugarcane and transition into high-quality, nutrient-rich fruit production irrigated through efficient drip systems. Witnessing the positive social and environmental impacts unfolding in the region affirms our conviction: responsible capital allocation can – and should – deliver long-term value for communities, ecosystems, and investors alike.