Coopbank Introduces Farmers’ Savings Account

Ethiopia’s population is believed to be about 108 Million based on some estimates. Around 80-85 percent of its inhabitants live in rural areas and are engaged in agriculture. Frequent drought, lack of training and equipment for farmers, and poor access to markets make it difficult for them to earn a living. Beyond all, most of the problem occur due to the extravagant nature and low-level saving habit of the farmers.

During the harvest time, the farmers gain the yield and hence they are on the peak period. As a result, in this peak period, the farmer’s consumption and other expenditures reach the highest level although most of them are extravagant purchases. However, the harvesting period is not a peak in the price of their products as well as their savings, but a peak in the consumption, and hence they face difficulty during the lean period (post-harvesting time) and next year planting times.

Cooperative Bank of Oromia has become the first bank to provide Farmers' Savings Account with better interest and attractive rewards as well as interest free banking services to the community. As it is clearly stipulated on its mission of rooting in a larger community, the bank is able to develop a new product that for the first time, said to help people engaged in agricultural activities such as farming, fishing and animal husbandry etc. The product is believed to revolutionize the saving culture and bring a difference in the livelihoods of the farmers.

Farmer’s Saving Account is a saving account that is uniquely designed for farmer’s bearing attractive interest rate paid monthly and offers various rewards on a lottery system mainly farming tools such as Tractors. The product is designed to encourage the unbanked and underbanked farmers save and leverage the enormous untouched potential, and ultimately transform their living.

by Biruk Hailu