Paper short abstract:

The Regionalwert AG has successfully managed to gain the support of regional residents who are now investors. It can serve as an inspiration for those interested in helping to foster a sustainable transformation in regional agriculture.

Paper long abstract:

The Regionalwert AG (RWAG) was founded in 2006 near Freiburg, southwest Germany, by agriculturalist Christian Hiss.

It was conceptualised as a citizen shareholder corporation in which people could invest in small and medium sized (SME) socio-ecological enterprises in the region, mainly in the agriculture and food sector. Access to land is facilitated for new entrants to farming, and farm succession can be secured,

thereby helping to maintain the region's agriculture and thus its characteristic landscape. But there is much more: the RWAG aims to build up a network of enterprises to establish a sustainable food supply chain and regional added value.

Its concept has successfully managed to gain the support of regional residents who are now investors. It can serve as an inspiration for those interested in helping to foster a sustainable transformation in regional agriculture (addressing ethical financing, public support, economy of solidarity).