Terre de Milpa (Milpa Land)

What Terre de Milpa (Milpa Land) does

Terre de Milpa is a French non-profit association (Association Loi 1901) founded in March 2020 in the Lyon metropolitan area, operating an agroecological farm at 13 Chemin Frédéric Roman, Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or. Since November 2022, the farm has functioned as an Atelier Chantier d'Insertion (ACI) by organic market gardening, employing 6 permanent staff and providing socio-professional integration pathways to 18 people facing social and professional difficulties, with particular attention to women's inclusion. The organization serves three primary constituencies: local individual consumers in the Lyon area who purchase weekly organic vegetable basket subscriptions (petit, moyen, grand formats) via farm-gate sales, farmers' markets, and the Réseau Cocagne network; insertion beneficiaries receiving personalized agricultural work and social support; and low-income households accessing solidarity baskets at reduced prices.

The farm's core technology is traditional agroecology, anchored by the Milpa/Three Sisters companion planting technique (maize, climbing beans, squash), the use of paysanne (farmer-saved) seeds to preserve agricultural biodiversity, permaculture practices, and women-adapted agricultural tools. Operational governance uses sociocracy with Non-Violent Communication (CNV), and the farm operates as a 'tiers-lieu nourricier' (food commons) hosting cooking workshops, cultural events, open days, and educational visits. The 'Des femmes & des fermes' program extends the model by supporting creation of new collective social farms.

Revenue is generated through five distinct streams: weekly vegetable basket subscriptions, membership fees (€10/year standard, €2/year solidarity), tax-deductible individual donations and crowdfunding via HelloAsso, public institutional grants from Métropole de Lyon, FSE, DDETS, DREETS, Région AURA, and Ville de Lyon, and grants from 10+ private foundations (Fondation de France, Fondation des Femmes, Fondation RAJA-Danièle Marcovici, Fondation Léa Nature, EKIBIO, 1% for the Planet, Fondation CARITAS, France Active, Terre de Liens). Distribution is entirely direct and short-chain within the Lyon geography, with marketing driven by community events, social media (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), a newsletter, podcast, and a Université Lyon 2 documentary film.

Name

Terre de Milpa (Milpa Land)

Legal name

Association Terre de Milpa

Website

https://terredemilpa.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Terre de Milpa is a French non-profit agroecological farm in the Lyon metropolitan area operating an organic market gardening insertion workshop since November 2022, providing weekly vegetable baskets to local consumers, socio-professional integration pathways to vulnerable populations (especially women), and solidarity baskets to low-income households.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic agroecological market gardening (social-economy farm)

NAICS

Vegetable and Melon Farming (1112), Food Crops Grown Under Cover (11141), Other Vegetable (except Potato) and Melon Farming (111219), Soil Preparation, Planting, and Cultivating (115112)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Organic Vegetable & Melon Farming (Open-Field) (AFAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) / Vertical Farming (Indoor LED Farms) (AFAGAHAJ), Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices (EDAOAOAO), Sustainability & ESG / Carbon & Conservation Program Advisory (AFACAJAF)

Keywords

• Organic market gardening
• Social insertion agriculture
• Agroecological farming
• Vegetable basket subscription
• Educational farm visits

Headquarters

HQ city

Lyon

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Vegetable basket subscriptions and farm sales: Weekly subscription vegetable baskets (petit, moyen, grand) sold directly to consumers, comprising seasonal organic vegetables harvested from the farm. Additional on-farm sales at open days and events.
2. Farmers' market and direct farm-gate sales: Participation in local markets (e.g., Marché aux Fleurs et aux Saveurs de Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or) and on-farm vegetable sales during open days and events.
3. Social integration funding and institutional grants: Funding from public institutions (Métropole de Lyon, DDETS du Rhône, DREETS AURA, Région AURA, Ville de Lyon), European Social Fund, and private foundations supporting social insertion and agroecological projects.
4. Membership fees: Annual membership fees: 10 euros/year standard, 2 euros/year for solidarity membership, providing symbolic financial support and active membership participation rights.
5. Donations and crowdfunding: Tax-deductible donations from individuals (recognized as general interest organization) and crowdfunding campaigns (e.g., November 2024 campaign for a new greenhouse).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Terre de Milpa operates an agroecological farm in the Lyon metropolitan area that produces organic vegetables using the Milpa polyculture system and peasant seeds, and sells them through weekly vegetable-basket subscriptions (standard and solidarity-priced). The association also runs a socio-professional integration workshop for vulnerable populations, cooking workshops, a pedagogical farm open to school groups and the public, and a support program for people seeking to set up as peasant farmers.

Product overview

Terre de Milpa is a non-profit association (Loi 1901) operating an organic market gardening social integration workshop (Atelier Chantier d'Insertion) since November 2022. The organization's core offering consists of weekly subscription vegetable baskets (Paniers de Légumes Bio) available in small, medium, and large formats, sold through the Cocagne Bio network. Additional products include solidarity baskets at reduced prices for low-income households. The association provides services including cooking workshops, educational farm visits, and support for farm installation. The farm operates as a 'tiers-lieu nourricier' (food commons hub), combining agricultural production with social integration, education, and community engagement around sustainable food systems.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Paniers de Légumes Bio (Organic Vegetable Baskets) Weekly vegetable-basket subscription of seasonal organic vegetables produced on the Terre de Milpa farm and collected by subscribers. Targeted at local households in the Lyon metropolitan area who want regular access to organic, agroecologically grown produce.
• Paniers Solidaires (Solidarity Vegetable Baskets) Reduced-price version of the organic vegetable basket (typically around half the standard price), designed to give low-income and food-insecure households in the Lyon area access to fresh organic vegetables. Often distributed in partnership with social actors.
• Ateliers de Cuisine (Cooking Workshops) Cooking workshops held on the farm using the farm's own seasonal vegetables, for members of the public who want to learn how to cook with organic, seasonal produce.
• Ferme Pédagogique (Educational Farm) Guided visits and learning activities at the working agroecological farm for school groups, families, and the general public, focused on agroecology, food production, and the Milpa cultivation system.
• Accompagnement à l'Installation Paysanne (Support for Peasant-Farmer Installation) Support program for aspiring farmers and career-changers wanting to set up a peasant-farming operation, including technical mentoring, advice, and access to land or a test environment on the farm. Targeted at future paysans and paysannes preparing an agricultural installation project.
• Atelier et Chantier d'Insertion (Socio-professional Integration Workshop) Recognized socio-professional integration workshop (ACI) employing people in socio-professional difficulty — particularly women — in agricultural work on the farm, with accompanying social and professional support aimed at progressing toward employment or further training. Funded as a publicly recognized insertion activity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 6 permanent staff employed, 18 people in integration pathways, 30+ active volunteers — all contributing to local employment and social inclusion in the Lyon metropolitan area
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Réseau CocagnecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Terre de Milpa is part of the Réseau Cocagne network, a major actor in the ecological, agricultural, and solidarity transitions. The network supports the development of insertion farms and short supply chains for organic vegetables.
• Coopérative OasiscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Coopérative Oasis is a key solidarity network partner supporting the project's ecological and social mission. Oasis cooperatives create spaces for social链接 and sustainable living.
• Emmaüs FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Terre de Milpa is affiliated with Emmaüs France, a major anti-poverty and solidarity movement. The partnership aligns with Terre de Milpa's mission to fight exclusion, injustice, and support vulnerable populations.
• Fédération des Acteurs de la SolidaritécoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The Federation of Solidarity Actors is a major network for social and professional integration, supporting Terre de Milpa's insertion mission and advocacy for vulnerable populations.
• Syndicat Mixte Plaines Mont d'Or (SMPMO)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SMPMO is a local government consortium for the Plaines Mont d'Or territory that supports the project's development on its territory as a key project sponsor.
• Commune de Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'OrmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The municipality of Saint-Didier-au-Mont-d'Or is a key project sponsor, providing local political and financial support for the farm's establishment and operations on its territory.
• ANCIELAminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ANCIELA supports youth engagement and environmental education projects, partnering with Terre de Milpa for educational and awareness-raising activities.
• Habitat&HumanismeminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Habitat&Humanisme develops housing and social support solutions, collaborating with Terre de Milpa on social insertion and housing-related support for beneficiaries.
• MSA (Mutualité Sociale Agricole)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020MSA supports agricultural workers and rural populations with social protection, partnering with Terre de Milpa on the specific support needs of women in agricultural settings.
• LPO (Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020LPO partners with the farm on biodiversity preservation and environmental monitoring, aligning with the agroecological approach.
• Rev'EllesminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Rev'Elles is a network supporting women's empowerment in professional settings, partnering with Terre de Milpa on the project's specific focus on women in agriculture.
• ArthropologiaminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Arthropologia studies and promotes knowledge of arthropods and biodiversity, collaborating with the farm on ecological monitoring and biodiversity education.
• Centre Social de CussetminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The Centre Social de Cusset is a community social center that collaborates with Terre de Milpa on local social integration and community outreach activities.
• OIKOSminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020OIKOS is an association working on eco-construction and heritage restoration, partnering with Terre de Milpa on the farm's building renovation and eco-construction projects.
• CIDFF (Centre d'Information sur les Droits des Femmes et des Familles)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020CIDFF provides legal information and support for women and families, collaborating on the project's women-focused support and rights awareness activities.
• ADDEARminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020ADDEAR (Association pour le Développement de l'Emploi Agricole et Rural) supports farm creation and rural employment, partnering on Terre de Milpa's 'Des femmes & des fermes' initiative.
• Amicale du NidminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Amicale du Nid supports people in prostitution and vulnerable situations, partnering with Terre de Milpa for social support and integration activities.
• Croix-Rouge françaiseminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020The French Red Cross collaborates with Terre de Milpa on social insertion and support for vulnerable populations.
• SYNERG'IAEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020SYNERG'IAE is a network of social integration actors, partnering on the socio-professional insertion activities and support for people in difficulty.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Réseau Cocagne: National federation of organic market-gardening insertion farms (Jardins de Cocagne) of which Terre de Milpa is a member. Operates the same ACI-by-organic-farming model with basket subscriptions across France, and provides the Cocagne Bio sales platform that Terre de Milpa uses.
• Cocagne Bio: Sales and distribution platform run by the Réseau Cocagne movement, through which Terre de Milpa sells its weekly organic vegetable baskets. Directly comparable as the commercial channel serving the same Cocagne-aligned insertion farms.
• Les Amanins: Agroecological farm and educational eco-place in Drôme combining organic farming, social insertion, and pedagogy. Comparable to Terre de Milpa in its holistic integration of organic production, social/educational mission, and sustainability-focused governance.

Broad incumbents

• Emmaüs France: Major French anti-poverty movement running insertion and solidarity activities including agricultural projects. Comparable to Terre de Milpa because of overlapping social-insertion mission, ecosystem of partners, and shared beneficiary populations.
• Coopérative Oasis: Network of ecological and solidarity-oriented cooperatives across France. A direct network partner of Terre de Milpa, comparable as an ecosystem of similar community-led ecological-transition projects with shared governance and solidarity principles.
• Fédération des Acteurs de la Solidarité: National federation of social-insertion actors in France. A direct network partner of Terre de Milpa, comparable as a broader-incumbent umbrella structuring funding and advocacy for the same insertion-by-activity ecosystem in which Terre de Milpa operates.
• Fermes d'Avenir: French network and lobby organization promoting agroecological farming and new farm creation. Comparable because it operates in the same agroecology transition space and supports the creation of new farms — overlapping directly with Terre de Milpa's 'Des femmes & des fermes' mission.

Regional players

• La Ferme du Bonheur: Urban educational farm in the Paris region focused on social inclusion, pedagogy, and biodiversity. Comparable to Terre de Milpa as an urban-adjacent social/pedagogical organic farm, though operating in the Paris region rather than Lyon.

Others

• Terre de Liens: National association acquiring agricultural land to preserve it for organic and peasant farming. A direct partner of Terre de Milpa, comparable as an enabling/adjoining actor addressing farmland access — a key structural constraint for any agroecological insertion farm.
• ADDEAR (Association pour le Développement de l'Emploi Agricole et Rural): Network supporting farm creation and rural employment, with local chapters (e.g., ADDEAR du Rhône) directly partnering with Terre de Milpa on the 'Des femmes & des fermes' initiative. Comparable as an enabling/adjoining actor in farm-creation support.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/terredemilpa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/terre-de-milpa
• Instagraminstagram.com/terredemilpa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 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 Milpa (Milpa Land)