Empowering Farmers in 2024: Opportunity AgFinance’s Year of Growth and Impact

At Opportunity International AgFinance, 2024 was all about the farmers. This year, we scaled our support to reach 1.3 million farming households - nearly double the number served in 2023. Among these, 83% live in poverty, with 53% in extreme poverty. By expanding innovations and partnerships, we delivered more effective solutions, empowering smallholder farmers to stabilize their families, improve their businesses, and increase their incomes.

By the Numbers: Our Impact through 2024

Since launching AgFinance in 2008, we have disbursed 904,701 loans totaling $465 million across 25 financial service providers. We have had 2,326 Farmer Support Agents (FSAs) that have reach 1,352,885 farming households. Women remain at the center of our efforts, with 56% of loan clients and 61% of farmers served by FSAs being women as of November 2024.

Furthermore, in 2024, smallholder farmers across Malawi, Rwanda, and Uganda saw tangible improvements in their yields and incomes, with results varying by country. Among the 3,000 farmers surveyed - 2,000 of whom were women - around half reported increased yields and higher earnings. Beyond financial gains, most farmers across all three countries reported greater financial resilience, with many able to access emergency funds more easily. Additionally, a vast majority noted improvements in both the number and quality of meals their families consumed. However, disparities remain for female farmers, reinforcing the need to prioritize targeted interventions that ensure equitable progress.

These results underscore the core value of Opportunity AgFinance’s work: empowering farmers to grow more, earn more, and secure better futures for their families; and these numbers reflect our unwavering commitment to empowering underserved farmers to grow their businesses and secure their families’ futures.

Guaranteeing Rural Opportunities for Women (GROW)

In 2024, Opportunity introduced the GROW Strategy: a comprehensive approach to tackling barriers faced by rural women in agriculture. Recognizing that 55–60% of rural farmers are women, we focused on creating tangible outcomes for them. Women often face systemic hurdles, from lack of property ownership to limited access to capital, yet they consistently demonstrate higher loan repayment rates and stronger impacts on their communities.

This year, we completed pilot activities for savings groups in multiple countries and our Knowledge Management team launched a client- and team-level review to refine these initiatives further. These programs provide women with training, financial resources, and community support, empowering them to invest in their farms and strengthen their families and communities.

Tim Strong, Director of Agriculture Finance, also joined a podcast to discuss the value of investing in women. Listen to the full episode here: Episode 85: Impact of Financing Women in Agriculture

 

Transforming Lives Through the Rural Graduation Model

In 2024, we celebrated the first Rural Graduation and the launch of our second and third Rural Graduation cohorts in Malawi (with the fourth coming soon), helping women-led households in ultra-poverty transition to self-reliance through farming and entrepreneurship. This 18–24-month initiative combines financial literacy, skills training, and wellness education with savings groups and enterprise support.

• April: 103 women in Malawi completed the program, marking a transformative milestone in their journeys.
• June: We welcomed a new cohort of 120 women in the Lilongwe district.
• August: Savings groups were formed, and participants began training in livestock handling, agricultural practices, and secondary business ventures like grocery sales.

For participants like Elina, building a handwashing station or starting a small business represents more than practical progress: it symbolizes resilience and hope. These efforts provide the skills and confidence to sustain families and invest in their futures.

Scaling Regenerative Agriculture (RegenAg)

Opportunity scaled up our Regenerative Agriculture (RegenAg) initiatives from four to ten demonstration plots in 2024. These hubs provided hands-on training and critical data on farming techniques that balance productivity with environmental stewardship. By trialing practices tailored to local needs, we helped farmers adopt strategies that improve soil health, reduce costs, and boost yields.

Through partnerships in Rwanda and Malawi, project officers co-led training sessions, fostering community trust and empowering smallholder farmers to integrate sustainable methods into their practices. These efforts ensure that both farmers and the environment benefit from regenerative agriculture.

Showcasing Digital Advancements Through Ulangizi: Publications in 2024

In 2024, the Ulangizi app underscored our dedication to digital innovation in agricultural support. This smartphone-based tool integrates WhatsApp with cutting-edge AI, including ChatGPT, to provide localized farming assistance in partnership with the Malawian government’s Agricultural Manual. These accomplishments garnered recognition in notable publications:

• Bloomberg: The Bloomberg article “AI is Helping the World's Poorest Farmers Improve Yields” spotlighted how the Ulangizi app delivers essential farming support in Chichewa, a local language. By diagnosing crop and animal diseases and answering agricultural queries, Ulangizi empowers subsistence farmers in Malawi’s rural regions. As Bloomberg notes, “The tips offered by the app in the local language Chichewa is one of the first examples of how Artificial Intelligence is being used to aid subsistence farmers in some of the poorest parts of the world.”
• Devex: Devex’s piece, “The AI Apps Helping the World's Low-Income Farmers Work Smarter,” emphasized Ulangizi’s role in helping farmers prepare for climate disasters and tackle challenges in real-time. The article highlighted how this digital tool enables smallholder farmers to adapt swiftly, ensuring their businesses remain resilient in the face of environmental and economic uncertainty.
• Time Magazine: Time’s feature, “Inside the New Nonprofit AI Initiatives Seeking to Aid Teachers and Farmers in Rural Africa,” explored Ulangizi as a groundbreaking example of how AI can level playing fields for underserved populations. Greg Nelson, CTO of Opportunity International, explained, “Since the mobile phone, this is the biggest democratizing change that we have seen in our lifetime.” Opportunity's Omanhene-Gyimah added, “We are in the field. We work with these clients on a daily basis, and we know what they need.” The article highlighted how Ulangizi bridges gaps in access to knowledge and expertise for farmers in rural Africa.

Through these platforms, the Ulangizi app not only demonstrated its transformative potential but also reinforced our commitment to leveraging technology for smallholder farmers’ success.

A women’s digital savings group in Malawi.

Expanding Financial Solutions for Durable Growth

In August, our AgFinance Summit in Lilongwe, Malawi, brought together leaders to address “Banking Solutions for Durable Growth.” We onboarded four new financial partners, enhancing our ability to connect farmers with the capital they need to grow more and earn more. With a clear focus on understanding farmers’ needs and building meaningful partnerships, these collaborations lay the groundwork for more inclusive financial systems.

New Horizons in Kenya

In 2024, we expanded into Kenya, opening doors to serve more farmers in this vibrant agricultural market. With tailored financial products and community-focused initiatives, we aim to replicate the success of our programs in other regions, empowering Kenyan farmers to achieve stability and growth.

Looking Ahead

As we reflect on 2024, the achievements of Opportunity AgFinance highlight the profound impact of innovative financial solutions and community-driven initiatives. Whether through empowering women farmers, advancing regenerative agriculture, or fostering partnerships, we remain steadfast in our mission: helping farmers grow more and earn more. Each initiative takes us closer to a future where every smallholder farmer can provide for their family, expand their business, and contribute to resilient, thriving communities.

All of our work this year, and moving through the next, boils down to one sentiment: how do we integrate human-centered design to best support the real-world needs of these farmers? Investing in agriculture is one of the most powerful actions we can take to build a more inclusive future, with more opportunities, fewer hungry people, fewer children missing school, and rural families having the ability to build the future they want.