Terre de Liens

What Terre de Liens does

Terre de Liens is a French non-profit movement founded in 2003 in the Drôme region, structured as a tri-part legal entity combining a national federation coordinating 19 territorial associations, a solidarity investment company (La Foncière Terre de Liens), and a public utility foundation (La Fondation Terre de Liens). The organisation acquires agricultural land through citizen savings (épargne solidaire) and donations, then leases the land to organic farmers via long-term baux ruraux, with a legal commitment never to resell—a permanent anti-speculation model. Its primary stakeholders are 'porteurs de projets' (future farmers, often hors-cadre familial) needing land access, retiring farmers without successors wishing to transmit their farms, local collectivities seeking farmland preservation, and citizen-investors financing acquisition. As of the latest disclosed metrics the movement preserves 449 farms across 14,200 hectares, supported by 63,524 members/donors and 1,720 active volunteers, operating across 16 regional offices covering all of metropolitan France.

Revenue mechanics are non-commercial and rely on three streams: (1) recurring shareholder subscriptions to the Foncière Terre de Liens for land acquisition, (2) tax-deductible donations to the Fondation, and (3) annual membership fees with voting rights at general assemblies. The go-to-market motion is community-led via the 19 territorial associations, employing cinema-débats, farm inaugurations, bio fairs, training programs, and direct mobilisation rather than paid acquisition. The technology stack is minimal: a standard web platform, an internal resource centre (Centre de ressources), the fermes.terredeliens.org farm-listing site, the Objectif Terres classifieds, and the RÉSULT participatory-science database co-developed with INRAE.

Operations are organised through the Fédération (national coordination), the Foncière (acquisition finance), the Fondation (gift-based land protection), a national training centre, 19 territorial associations (regional offices with their own staff and volunteer boards), and jointly controlled entities such as the Pays de la Loire cooperative Passeurs de Terres (2018). Customer relationships are mediated by salariat staff including 'médiateurs fonciers', 'chargés de mission installation-transmission', 'chargés de mobilisation citoyenne', and territorial animatrices/animateurs, with a board-of-co-presidents governance model at the regional level.

Name

Terre de Liens

Legal name

Terre de Liens

Website

https://terredeliens.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2003

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Terre de Liens is a French non-profit movement, founded in 2003, that acquires farmland through citizen savings and donations to lease it permanently to organic farmers. It serves future farmers, retiring landowners, municipalities, and citizen-investors, and currently preserves 449 farms across 14,200 hectares through 19 territorial associations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Land Trust

NAICS

Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems (BPAGAGAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Land Trusts & Protected Areas (BPAGAGAC)

Keywords

• Agricultural land preservation
• Farmland conservation
• Land trust management
• Solidarity investment
• Nonprofit land stewardship

Headquarters

HQ city

Crest

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices16 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Solidarity Savings (Épargne solidaire): Citizens invest in the Foncière Terre de Liens by purchasing shares, which funds the acquisition of agricultural lands. These lands are then leased to organic farmers at affordable rates, with no speculative resale.
2. Donations: Citizens make donations to support land acquisition projects and organizational activities. Donations are tax-deductible in France.
3. Membership Fees: Members pay annual fees to support the association and gain voting rights at general assemblies.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

French nonprofit founded in 2003 that preserves agricultural land through three coordinated legal entities: La Fédération (national federation coordinating 19 territorial associations), La Foncière (a solidarity investment company that acquires farmland using capital from individual citizen-shareholders), and La Fondation (a public-utility foundation receiving donations and bequests that holds farmland in perpetuity). To date it has preserved 449 farms across 14,200 hectares, supported by approximately 63,524 members, 1,720 volunteers, and 51–100 staff based primarily in Crest, Drôme.

Product overview

Terre de Liens is a civil society movement combining three core structures: La Fédération (national federation coordinating 19 territorial associations), La Foncière (solidarity investment company for agricultural land acquisition), and La Fondation (public utility foundation). The organization operates platforms including Objectif Terres (land classifieds), the Centre de ressources (knowledge repository), and RÉCOLTE (innovative land initiative database). The movement has preserved 449 farms across 14,200 hectares through citizen investment, supporting organic farming installations throughout metropolitan France.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• La Foncière Terre de Liens: The solidarity investment company (enterprise d'investissement solidaire) of the Terre de Liens movement, acquiring agricultural lands through citizen savings and donations to enable organic farming installation.
• La Fondation Terre de Liens
• La Fédération Terre de Liens
• Objectif Terres
• Centre de ressources Terre de Liens
• Passeurs de Terres

Products and services

• La Foncière A solidarity investment company that acquires agricultural land using capital raised from individual citizens buying shares (épargne solidaire), with low minimum entry to broaden participation. Returns are capped and channeled back into the land-preservation mission.
• La Fondation Terre de Liens A public-utility foundation that receives donations, bequests, and legacies and uses them to acquire and hold farmland in perpetuity, ensuring long-term protection from resale or speculative use.
• La Fédération Terre de Liens National federation coordinating 19 regional territorial associations; provides advocacy, outreach, member engagement, and on-the-ground support to farmers and land seekers. Membership-based, with members and volunteers participating across France.
• Objectif Terres Online classified-ads platform listing agricultural properties for sale or transfer, supporting farm succession, transmission, and installation; offered as a free informational tool alongside Terre de Liens' core land-preservation services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 449 farms preserved (14,200 hectares) across France
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

29 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• CNRS/Université Bordeaux Montaigne (UMR Passages)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Academic research partnership through Micro Agri compagnonnage program analyzing accompaniment mechanisms for micro farms
• Passeurs de TerrescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Regional agricultural cooperative co-founded by Terre de Liens Pays de la Loire with AFOCG, CAB, FRCIVAM, and LPO for land acquisition and management
• DRAAF Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural authority partnering with Terre de Liens Alsace for agricultural development initiatives
• UE/LEADERminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean Union rural development program supporting local agricultural initiatives in Alsace
• Bio en Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organic farming association collaborating with Terre de Liens Alsace on organic agriculture promotion
• ARDEAR Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural development association for organic and peasant farming in Grand Est region
• Bordeaux MétropolecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint food and agriculture policy development with Terre de Liens Aquitaine, contributing to territorial food plans
• CAAP 24 (Collectif Alimentaire et Agroécologique du Périgord)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollective of 6 associations (Agrobio 24, Manger bio Périgord, La Maison Des Paysans, Pays'en Graine, SCIC Nourrir l'Avenir, and Terre de Liens) supporting local agricultural projects
• CIVAM BiominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural knowledge and development network for organic farming orientation
• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational partnership for biodiversity inventories on Terre de Liens farms, extended to regional level with scientific council support
• CIVAMminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural knowledge and development networks active in Brittany supporting farmer installation
• GAB (Groupements d'Agriculteurs Biologiques)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organic farming groups working with Terre de Liens Bretagne on organic agriculture
• ADEARminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural development associations supporting farmer installation and training
• InPACT Centre-Val de LoirecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork including MRJC, Accueil Paysan, Solidarité Paysans, FRCIVAM, ARDEAR CVL, InPACT 37, AMAP Centre-Val de Loire, CIAP CVL, and partners Biocentre and Afogq 45
• UmaniminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorsican cultural association partnering with Terre de Liens Corsica for agricultural preservation
• Via CampagnolaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural association representing farmers in Corsica
• Interbio CorseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorsican organic farming association collaborating on organic agriculture initiatives
• Corsic'AmapminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of AMAPs (Associations pour le Maintien d'une Agriculture Paysanne) in Corsica
• Occitanie RegioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional council supporting Terre de Liens Languedoc-Roussillon activities and farm acquisitions
• SAFER OccitanieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand development and rural settlement organization operating in agricultural land transactions
• TACTS NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional network (Tous pour une Agriculture Citoyenne, Territoriale et Solidaire) including Accueil Paysan, AFOCG, ARDEAR, CAB, CIAP, FRCIVAM, and Solidarité Paysans
• COOPAIRESminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation project between agricultural, environmental, and citizen associations with CIVAM Normands, ARDES, GRAINE Normandie, ARDEAR Normandie, funded by FEADER
• SAFER Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLand development organization operating in Lorraine region for agricultural land transactions
• Bio Grand EstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional organic farming association in Grand Est working with Terre de Liens Lorraine
• Conservatoire des Espaces NaturelsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNature spaces conservation organization partnering on environmental protection initiatives
• LPOminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBird protection league partnering on biodiversity conservation on farms
• InPACT Nouvelle-AquitainecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional agricultural network building common offerings for territorial agroecological transition
• ADEAR LimousinminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural development association co-organizing the 'Terre Nourricière' festival
• Agrobio87minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganic farming association in Haute-Vienne co-organizing agricultural events

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Fédération Nationale des SAFER: French federated network of land development and rural settlement organizations that operate in agricultural land transactions. Functions as a potential transactional counterpart to Terre de Liens at the moment of land acquisition, sharing the same land-preservation mission via a different statutory and financing model.
• Access To Land Network: European network maintained by Terre de Liens connecting land-access organizations across Europe for knowledge and advocacy sharing. A direct thematic peer whose members pursue the same mission of expanding access to land for agroecological farmers, in different national contexts.
• Réseau CIVAM: French network of Centres d'Initiatives pour Valoriser l'Agriculture et le Milieu rural, partnering with Terre de Liens in multiple regions to promote sustainable and citizen-led agriculture. Acts as a complementary grassroots operational counterpart on training, installation support, and rural development.
• Confédération Paysanne: French small-scale farmers' union advocating for peasant agriculture and installation of new farmers, sharing many goals with Terre de Liens on land access. Differs as a union defending an existing farmer constituency versus Terre de Liens as a land-acquiring movement.

Broad incumbents

• France Nature Environnement: France's largest federation of environmental associations, encompassing biodiversity and land-use advocacy comparable to Terre de Liens' environmental conservation mandate but operating as an advocacy/coordination body rather than direct land-holder.
• Fondation de France: Large French philanthropic foundation that supports a wide range of causes including agricultural and rural development. Comparable in legal structure (recognized public utility foundation) and broad member/donor base, but operates at a much larger and more diversified scale across all French philanthropic causes.
• Soil Association: The UK's largest organic and sustainable food charity, working on organic certification, farming policy, and land use. Comparable to Terre de Liens' dual mandate of promoting organic agriculture and influencing agricultural land policy, but operates in the UK with a broader sustainability scope beyond pure land preservation.
• FAKTION / Fondation pour la Nature et l'Homme: Swiss and French environmental foundation working on sustainable agriculture, biodiversity, and land stewardship. Shares Terre de Liens' agroecological orientation and foundation structure while operating at a different geographic and thematic scope.

Regional players

• Viva Solida Schweiz: Swiss solidarity-financed land trust that acquires land for organic and peasant farming, structurally analogous to Terre de Liens' Foncière. Operates in Switzerland with similar solidarity-investment mechanics but at a smaller scale and different regulatory environment.
• Soil Trust / Landtrust UK: UK-based land conservation organization holding land for environmental and community benefit. Analogous in operating a permanently-held land bank to prevent development, but with a broader environmental mandate beyond strict agricultural installation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/terredeliens
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terre-de-liens

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries24 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Terre de Liens