Semilla Nueva
Semilla Nueva develops biofortified, climate-resilient maize seeds that decrease malnutrition, improve farmer income, and withstand climate shocks. They partner with seed companies, governments, and social enterprises to make these seeds accessible to tens of thousands of farmers — producing enough maize to improve nutrition for millions of consumers.
Investment Rationale
Crop diversification and nutrition education alone have delivered limited results even as climate shocks intensify. Semilla Nueva tackles this gap by changing the foundation of the food system itself: the seeds farmers rely on.
Systemic scale: By coupling farmer adoption with market and policy integration, Semilla Nueva delivers durable gains in nutrition, incomes, and climate adaptation.
Proven resilience returns: Farmers using climate-resilient seeds earn 3–5× higher incomes during droughts and extreme storms.
Impact & Outcomes
In 2025, Semilla Nueva reached 60,000 farmers across Guatemala and El Salvador, improved nutrition for 2 million people, and secured 70% of direct costs from government partners in Guatemala.
Proven nutrition impact: Randomized controlled trials demonstrate that biofortified maize significantly improves dietary outcomes at population scale.
Measured climate resilience: Farmers increased profits by an average of $85 (a 76% increase) and experienced 54% fewer climate-related crop losses.
