Development Bank Ghana (DBG) and Opportunity International are pleased to announce the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to strengthen the economic resilience and productivity of smallholder farmers and micro-entrepreneurs across Ghana. This strategic partnership aims to
foster a robust and inclusive economy through innovative solutions tailored to the unique needs of these critical sectors.
Under the MOU, Development Bank Ghana and Opportunity International will collaborate on a range of initiatives, designed to enhance agricultural productivity, improve market access, and provide financial support to Ghana’s smallholder farmers and micro-entrepreneurs.
“The partnership with Opportunity International is a strategic step in our mission to build an inclusive economy. By harnessing technology and innovative financial solutions, we’re focused on driving growth in Ghana’s agricultural sector, improving the livelihoods of the communities that rely on it,
and, by extension, strengthening our efforts towards food security” said Kwamina Duker, CEO, Development Bank Ghana. The partnership will develop a series of new interventions to support economic development for populations that face a multitude of barriers – including barriers to finance, climate instability, and closing the digital divide.
“We are excited to partner with Development Bank Ghana to empower farmers, the backbone of the economy, with the tools and resources they need to grow more and earn more,” said Opportunity International CEO, Atul Tandon. “By leveraging innovative technology, providing enhanced training,
and increasing the availability of capital whilst reducing the cost of capital, our shared objective is to help smallholder farmers to improve farm yields and secure a greater share of their revenues.”
The partnership will, among others, leverage advanced agricultural technologies and digital tools to increase crop yields, and introduce cutting-edge technologies like Opportunity International’s generative AI chatbot platform for smallholder farmers. Previously implemented in partnership with the Malawi Ministry of Agriculture, the technology pairs generative AI with best practices in agriculture, offering extension agents access to timely and high-quality agricultural information.
This initiative will also help scale the implementation of Opportunity International’s new Climate Collateral Alliance (CCA) in Ghana – a catalytic investment vehicle designed to remove barriers to loan origination for smallholder farmers, enabling them to develop more resilient farms. The CCA will incentivize financial institutions to extend loans to women borrowers in agriculture and those practicing regenerative and climate-smart farming. By providing credit risk support to these institutions, the program promotes sustainable growth across rural communities in the country.
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Ghana’s economy, and Development Bank Ghana remains committed to agribusiness as one of its focus sectors. Through various Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs), DBG has disbursed over GHS 288 million in agricultural sector loans. By prioritizing key value chains such as rice,, poultry, wheat, and maize, Ghana could reduce imports by 50%, potentially lowering the import bill by nearly USD 500 million.
The ratification of this partnership coincides with Opportunity International’s 20-year anniversary in Ghana. As a founding member of both Opportunity International Savings and Loans Ltd. (OISL) and Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans Ltd. (SASL)—both of which have received support from DBG in recent years—Opportunity International has been instrumental in advancing financial inclusion and economic growth. DBG is proud of this partnership and looks forward to continued collaboration for sustainable growth in Ghana.
