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Jinja, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | In a week-long agricultural exhibition that attracted farmers and agri-entrepreneurs from as far as Kenya and Zambia, PostBank conducted a session aimed at enhancing the knowledge of the participants about the bank’s specialized agricultural products. These products include the Large-Scale Commercial Farmers Scheme (LSCFS) and Grow Loans, which they can leverage to boost their output.
Held annually, the National Agricultural Show, June 27 to July 5, is a key calendar event in its 31st year since it was started, bringing together a wide range of agricultural stakeholders, including farmers, agro-input suppliers, mechanization equipment dealers, financial institutions, and development partners.
Julius Akais, Supervisor of Agriculture and Partnerships at PostBank Uganda, delivered a key presentation to 15 rural women group leaders from different regions of the country, plus an 11-woman delegation from Kenya and a 3-woman delegation from Zambia. He guided them on the innovative financial solutions by the bank targeting rural women in informal and group-based farming systems and impact measurement of women’s economic empowerment.
The presentation comprised a question-and-answer segment with regional women farmer leaders to explore tailored credit solutions as well as the bank’s approach to designing inclusive agriculture products.
Other areas that were covered during the training were the Farmers Group Lending Model, input financing, seasonal loan structures, mobile and agency banking access, ESG-focused loan assessment under Agriculture Credit Facility, and partner-funded facilities.
Commenting on the Bank’s role, Akais said, “PostBank continues to play a key role as a financing partner in Uganda’s agricultural transformation, especially in supporting rural communities, women-led farming groups, and informal farmer cooperatives; hence, the bank’s participation continued to present more collaboration avenues with sector actors such as agro-input suppliers, mechanization dealers, irrigation solution providers, and regulatory institutions like the Bank of Uganda.”
He added, “PostBank’s purpose is to foster prosperity for Ugandans, and this has been showcased through the financing designed to support different sectors that continue to boost the economy’s performance, and among these is the agriculture sector, which employs almost 60% of Uganda’s population. The agriculture sector is among the key drivers of the country’s economy, and the bank has been keen on extending support and bridging the knowledge gap on the existing agribusiness products and services for existing customers and those intending to venture into agriculture so that the sector’s full potential is exploited.”
PostBank’s consistent participation in the agricultural exhibition perfectly aligns with the bank’s commitment to enhancing financial inclusion within the agricultural sector. Hence, the agricultural show continues to provide an excellent platform to increase the bank’s engagement with smallholder farmers, Agri-SMEs, and key stakeholders, as well as showcase its tailored financial solutions.
At the start of June, PostBank was recognized at the Bank of Uganda’s Agriculture Credit Facility (ACF) and Small Business Recovery Fund (SBRF) Awards. The bank gained 5 awards and 11 certificates, which are a testament to the bank’s continued support for the sector and its innovative approach and inclusive agricultural lending that are a catalyst to the country’s broader development agenda.
