Transnational Bank targets 500,000 young farmers in two years with an agribusiness training programme to shore up its capital and improve credit portfolio to enable it lend more to farmers.
It has partnered with Strathmore Business School to roll out a course dubbed “Investing in Agribusiness“ start in July 2015, with two customized modules, primary production and value addition.
The duo will develop model farms, train and provide attractive financing solutions to agribusiness entrepreneurs in Kenya.
Target is to enable farmers understand the agribusiness ecosystem that is made up of value chain activities, financing and relevant and practical knowledge in agribusiness.
“This partnership will transform farmers into smart agribusiness investors, equipped with knowledge to make business decisions as they engage in any agricultural activity,” said the bank’s chief executive, Sammy Langat.
Langat urged farmers to understand and participate in the various value chains, as opposed to disjointed agricultural activities.
“The knowledge gap in agribusiness increases the financing risk, and agribusiness entrepreneurs who will go through this program will qualify for more attractive financing from Transnational Bank,” he said.
Dean of Strathmore Business School, Dr. George Njenga emphasized such partnership will enable Africa reap benefits from the idle agribusiness resource in the continent.
Currently, Africa is termed as the world food basket, holding most of the unused arable land in the world.
However, despite seven out of 10 Africans engaging in farming, farmers have remained poor due to knowledge gap in the sector.
“This partnership will close this knowledge gap, “Dr. Njenga added.