Who We Are Our Mission and Vision

Farmers choose to work with Opportunity because we help them receive the support they need to increase their production and income, create new sustainable opportunities for themselves, and develop resilient and flourishing households in rural communities.

Our mission is to support farmers to grow more and earn more to scale rural prosperity.

Today, over 80% of Africa's farms are smallholder-owned—and these farms operate at only 20-30% of their potential yields. The current market assessment reveals a staggering $200 billion annual financing gap, presenting both a challenge and a substantial market opportunity. To close this gap, the AgFinance program builds on Opportunity International's 50-year history of innovation and financial services for those living in poverty.

With financial support and access to the right tools, rural prosperity, reduced hunger, better food security, enhanced education, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods for families are all possible – and Opportunity partners with smallholder farmers to accomplish this.

In each country where AgFinance works, we actively collaborate with local financial institutions and stakeholders to fortify rural markets by addressing crucial needs for rural clients, including access to financial services and agricultural networks. We do this by partnering with socially focused financial institutions and offering technical assistance to launch and expand agricultural loan portfolios.

Opportunity supports rural farmers by:

• Establishing rural-focused financial products, production loans, rural savings accounts, small and medium-sized enterprise loans for agribusinesses, loan guarantees, mechanization loans, crop insurance, and revolving credit facilities.
• Training rural farmers in agribusiness, bookkeeping skills, and entrepreneurship.
• Establishing local Farmer Support Agent networks, alongside financial institutions and other stakeholders, to train farmers in good agricultural and financial practices.

With this approach, farmers can invest in their farms, thus elevating yields and incomes. In addition, rural entrepreneurs can expand their agribusinesses to offer more services to farmers and generate jobs in rural communities.

Program Overview

Farmers choose to work with us to receive the support they need to increase their farm's production, yields, and, ultimately, income, leading to new and sustainable opportunities, resilient communities, and flourishing households.

In the current landscape, characterized by significant strides toward eradicating extreme poverty, African farmers face an alarming risk of exclusion. By 2030, the World Bank projects that 9 out of 10 individuals in extreme poverty will reside in sub-Saharan Africa, with the majority being farmers.

Investing in agricultural development is not just a strategic move, but an ethical imperative in the fight against extreme poverty. The AgFinance model offers tangible solutions, enabling farmers to enhance productivity and build sustainable pathways for future market-driven services, effectively breaking the vicious cycle of poverty.

At the heart of Opportunity International's AgFinance program lies a profound belief: with strategic investments and farmer support, smallholder farmers can establish rural prosperity, flourishing households, and resilient economies.

Our mission is clear: to extend financial access within rural communities, catalyzing investment and progress within the agricultural sector, ultimately leading to sustainable economic opportunities for smallholder farmers and families.

Operating within each target country, AgFinance engages in active collaboration with local financial institutions and stakeholders to bolster rural markets, focusing on addressing the pivotal needs of rural clients, including access to financial services and agricultural networks. This is achieved through partnerships with socially driven financial entities and providing them with technical expertise to initiate and expand their agricultural lending portfolios.

What We DoOpportunity AgFinance

Opportunity's commitment to rural farmers encompasses:

1. Designing tailored financial products catering to rural needs, including production loans, rural savings schemes, SME loans for agribusinesses, loan guarantees, mechanization financing, crop insurance, and revolving credit facilities.
2. Empowering rural farmers through training in agribusiness practices, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship.
3. Establishing Farmer Support Agent networks in collaboration with financial institutions and other stakeholders to impart essential agricultural and financial knowledge.

This approach empowers farmers to invest in their agricultural endeavors, leading to increased yields and incomes. In addition, rural entrepreneurs are equipped to expand their agribusinesses, creating employment opportunities within rural communities.

AgFinance is dedicated to fostering sustainability by equipping farmers and rural entrepreneurs with the necessary capital, knowledge, and skills to transition from subsistence farming to thriving, community-transforming enterprises.