Agribusiness Banking
AGRIBUSINESS
AGRIBUSINESS BANKING
Agriculture is the backbone of Tanzania’s economy. As a player and stakeholder in the country’s economic development agenda, Azania Bank has continued to support the government’s efforts in driving the Agricultural sector to greater heights through provision of reliable and affordable financial solutions to different value chain actors in the sector
AZANIA BANK’S APPROACH TO AGRIBUSINESS
Azania Bank’s approach to agribusiness financing is holistic, value chain based, farmer-centric and reasonably priced to ensure affordability of our products by all value chain players.
It encompasses offering financial solutions to different segments along the agricultural value chains in the sector – from primary production through to value addition activities in the four subsectors namely crop production, livestock, fishery and forestry products.
Through research and feedback from customers and stakeholders, Azania Bank is committed to continuing improving products and services in order to offer state-of-the-art financial solutions that meets the ever-increasing and changing needs of our agribusiness customers – both at retail and corporate level.
AGRIBUSINESS
PRODUCTS
Currently, the bank offers a wide range of products and services to suit the needs of the agricultural sector.
These are medium to long term loans for agribusiness investment undertakings such as purchase of agricultural equipment, establishment of infrastructure for value addition such as construction or improvements of storage facilities, irrigation infrastructure, cold chain systems, green houses for horticultural production, agro processing facilities, and related investments.
Features
- Repayments for these loans are pegged on the projected cash flow of the project.
- Among other forms of collaterals, project finance is secured by project assets such as land and properties as well as future cashflows.
- Suitable for business entities with existing cashflows.
These are short term facilities payable in single or multiple instalments to cater for working capital needs.
Features
- Ideal for traders involved in cattle fattening and/or trading, crop and inputs dealers, warehouse receipt system financing and other similar undertakings.
- Borrower must be in similar business for at least 12 months and must produce evidence related to his/her/their previous business performance in terms of sales records, turnover, receivables/payables, and others.
These are credit facilities to cater for working capital needs of cattle traders specifically cow/bull, goats and sheep fatteners. Lending under this product is intended to help traders have sufficient working capital to buy feeder animals (cattle/goat/sheep) to be fattened and sold off in the market.
Features
- Target clientele include individuals, farmer groups, cooperatives and SMEs involved in commercial cattle fattening business
- At least 1 year experience in cattle trading.
- Owns and operate a farm the size of which should be able to support the number of cattle to be purchased for fattening as per expert’s recommendations.
- At least one year of banking relationship with Azania Bank or any other bank.
- Client should open and operate Kilimo Biashara Savings Account (KIBISA) with Azania Bank.
- Have land ownership or lease documents from respective authorities for the land to be used for fattening.
- The borrower can be an individual, Groups, AMCOs, or companies registered by BRELA.
These are seasonal loans, normally not exceeding 12 months, extended to farmers through their formal groups which are duly registered by relevant authorities such as District/Municipal councils, Business Registration and Licensing Agency (BRELA) or Registration, Insolvency and Trusteeship Agency (RITA). These loans are targeted towards enabling farmers meet costs for farm preparations, fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides, packaging materials and others in order to enhance crop and livestock productivity.
Kilimo Biashara Savings Account (KIBISA) is a unique savings account offered by Azania Bank to farmers who wish to save from sales proceeds after they have sold their crops. It has the following features:
- Account opened at zero balance
- Zero minimum balance
- Account Dormant after 24 months
- Zero monthly ledger fees
- Visa card – optional
Access to mobile banking and other delivery channels.
These are short term or seasonal loans in nature, availed to farmers with buyer contracts to enable them undertake production of crops according to farmer-buyer contracts. Under this arrangement (contract farming), Azania Bank advances working capital facilities and other services such as Letter of Credit, Guarantees to the farmers – individually or in groups (preferably cooperative societies) for them to meet part or whole costs related to farm preparations, procurement of inputs, crop management, harvesting and other related crop production costs.
Features
- Farmers can borrow individually or through their cooperative societies or any other forms of groupings acceptable to the bank.
- Farmers must have been in farming business for not less than 12 months and must be able to indicate records of their previous production in terms of crop and actual sales proceeds realized.
- Flexible collateral requirement.
- Duly signed buyer-farmer contract.