Green finance, real impact: How Ecobank is powering inclusive agri-growth
Agriculture is not just a sector in Ghana—it is the heartbeat of our economy.
According to the FAO, over half of the labor force is engaged in agriculture, which contributes 54 per cent of GDP and 40 per cent of export earnings.
Despite its importance, agriculture remains one of the most underserved sectors in terms of financial services-particularly credit.
Most agriculture value chain actors are based in rural areas, far from traditional bank branches.
Agriculture is also exposed to risks like weather shocks, pests, disease, and price volatility, making it a sector many banks perceive as high-risk. In addition, most smallholder farmers do not have titled land.
The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reports that 82.4 per cent of land in Ghana lacks documentation, rising to 98.6 per cent in regions like the Northeast, making collateralisation difficult.
At Ecobank Ghana, we are changing this narrative. Ecobank Ghana’s tailored products—such as Warehouse Receipt Financing and the Food and Agric bundle with preferential terms—are designed to meet the specific needs of agricultural value chains.
Through partnerships, we bundle credit with crop and weather-index insurance, as well as non-financial services like farmer training.
Our in-house agricultural sector managers bring deep knowledge of local Agri-dynamics.
And with our digital channels and vast network of Xpress Points, farmers can access banking services without travelling long distances to a branch.
As CEO and Founder of Yedent Agro Group, Samuel Kwame Ntim Adu, put it: "Some years ago, our company was effectively dwindling.
You have contracts and potential markets, but no bank was prepared to support agribusiness.
Ecobank came in and enabled us to meet our contracts."
Access to credit is vital. It enables smallholder farmers to transition from subsistence to commercial farming, enabling the associated value chain actors to also grow their businesses.
Fertilisers have been found to boost yields by as much as 57 per cent in Ghana and lead to 53 per cent higher incomes, but without credit, fertilizer is inaccessible to the average smallholder farmer.
Ecobank is transforming lives and livelihoods every day with its Agri-specific credit products.
In partnership with the Mastercard Foundation, the Bridge-In Agriculture programme provides single-digit interest rate loans of up to GH¢10 million and 12-month moratoriums.
Over GH¢120 million has been disbursed to more than 8000 farmers alongside capacity building programmes, business development services, and market access.
24-Hour
Ecobank Ghana’s focus on supporting the agricultural sector with tailored financial services aligns directly with the government’s 24-Hour Economy policy.
One of the key industries this policy seeks to support is 24-hour agro-processing.
With proper financial services delivered to participating businesses from banks such as Ecobank and targeted government policies, such as cheaper and reliable access to energy and tax incentives, the agro-processing industry can boost production for import substitution and exports.
In partnership with the private sector, this initiative can have positive knock-on effects across the economy.
When you invest in agribusiness, it’s not just the entrepreneur who benefits-it’s the entire community. Samuel Kwame Ntim Adu shared that financing from Ecobank allowed him to offtake 15,000 tonnes of soya and maize from 25,000 smallholders.
This is the ripple effect we aim to create, and the impact we seek to make as a bank.
Maybe most importantly, investing in agriculture is investing in our future.
Climate change has already reduced crop yields in some regions by up to 34 per cent and could push over 100 million people into climate-induced poverty by 2030.
Transitioning to climate-smart agriculture is urgent.
Green financing products—such as loans for solar irrigation, organic inputs, and resilient seed varieties—help farmers build sustainability into every step of the value chain.
Facility
Through the AFAWA Green Finance Facility, we are deploying $18 million in blended finance to support women-led agribusinesses with concessional interest rates, accelerated loan processing, and access to climate-smart technologies.
And, launched just last month, our Accelerated Solar Action Program (ASAP), an initiative in partnership with the Green Climate Fund, provides collateral-free loans for solar-powered irrigation and energy systems across the agricultural value chain.
This kind of targeted green financing bridges the gap between climate goals and the daily realities of smallholder farmers.
Ecobank’s vision is to be the leading Pan-African food and agribusiness bank, driving inclusive economic development and financial integration across the continent.
These impactful programs and products delivered by Ecobank Ghana are proof that we are well on our way.
The writer is the Managing Director of Ecobank Ghana Ltd.
