HNB PLC has entered into a strategic partnership with the Sri Lanka Agripreneurs’ Forum (SLAF) and Agro World (Pvt.) Ltd aimed to empower small and medium scale farmers participating in the Smart Village Program.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the trio at HNB Towers with the participation of SLAF and Agro World. This collaboration aims to provide these farmers access to financial needs, latest technology and new markets.
The initiative supports agricultural enterprises facing low productivity, lack of diversification, lack of market linkages, non-availability of inputs and limited access to much needed credit facilities.
HNB Deputy General Manager, SME and Microfinance, Rajive Dissanayake said, “Establishing new marketplaces, understanding global trends and adopting latest technology is paramount for Sri Lanka to succeed. Our objective is to support farmers across the country to have affordable funding, adopt new techniques to improve productivity and to access new marketplaces, be it at home or across the globe.”
Agro World (Pvt) Ltd, Founder, CEO and Director, Dr Selvanathan Anojan said, “The past few years have been challenging, especially for farmers battling evolving market conditions and the impact of changing weather patterns. We are delighted to be working with HNB in empowering the agriculture industry by strengthening supply chains and establishing sustainable marketplaces for our farmers.”
Selected farmers will receive comprehensive support from HNB, SLAF, and Agro World, facilitating access to grants, low-interest loans, state-of-the-art farming techniques, and a market to sell their produce.
Agro World, and Sri Lanka Agro Forum in conjunction with the Department of Agrarian Development, will facilitate the provision of a grant for each participating farmer. As outlined in the agreement, HNB will provide concessionary loans to further empower farmers and Agro World will provide technology and market access.
