NAIROBI, Kenya, March 17 – The National Bank of Kenya has signed a partnership with the Ministry of Water, Sanitation, and Irrigation to support the farmer-led irrigation development (F.L.I.D) program.
Under the partnership, irrigation farmers will be able to access affordable financing and financial solutions to enable them to invest in irrigation equipment, dam liners, and production inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.
NBK will also support technology platforms for farmer enablement and support including information exchange, financial access, equipment and inputs access, produce aggregation, market information land use and irrigation development details, and management dashboards.
The program will also see farmers benefit from the Sh5 billion NBK Majikonnect Program supporting Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene
Speaking during the launch, NBK Managing Director George Odhiambo said the lender is committed to providing affordable financing and technical support to help farmers access the necessary resources for successful irrigation farming.
“This partnership aligns with our commitment to support the growth of the water and agricultural sector which are vital components of our economy, through affordable financing and technical assistance we aim to help small-scale farmers get access to necessary resources to enhance their irrigated agricultural production,” Odhiambo said.
NBK in addition will provide banking services for FLID projects, financial solutions for contractors and suppliers of the program as well as provide special financing solutions for special interest groups in the program including the youth, women and persons living with disabilities
Farmers will also receive technical assistance and training to ensure they have the necessary skills and knowledge to optimize their irrigated agricultural production.
“By empowering farmers to improve their production, we can increase food security and contribute to overall growth of Agriculture and water sectors” Odhiambo added.
The partnership is expected to have a significant impact on agricultural sector by increasing productivity, reducing post-harvest losses and enhancing food and water security and overall growth of Kenyan economy
