For too long, farmers across Ghana have faced a similar story: small loans, high collateral demands, and lengthy approval processes that hinder their potential. The Mastercard Foundation’s FIRST+II program, implemented by CapitalPlus Exchange (CapPlus), is rewriting that story, showing how more innovative agricultural lending can unleash growth for farmers, financial institutions, and entire communities.

At Odotobri Rural Bank, the shift has been nothing short of transformational. By raising loan ceilings from GHS 15,000 to GHS 25,000 and easing cash collateral requirements from 30% to 20%, the bank unlocked GHS 11.2 million in new agricultural loans, 28% of the total loan growth between December 2024 and June 2025. Farmers who once struggled with limited financing are now scaling up their businesses, and the bank itself has seen its portfolio increase by 45% in just six months.

Manya Krobo Rural Bank tackled a different challenge: bureaucracy. By revising approval mandates, the bank freed branch officers to process loans faster while leaving senior management to focus on strategy. For farmers, this means less waiting, more planting, and quicker access to the inputs that sustain their businesses.

Meanwhile, Amenfiman Rural Bank is looking to the future. With a plan to grow its agricultural loan book from GHS 48 million to GHS 70 million, it is eyeing bold investments. One of them is irrigation financing for cocoa farmers, a move that could transform productivity and resilience in Ghana’s most iconic crop.

These aren’t just tweaks to paperwork. They are game-changing shifts that prove agriculture can be financed at scale, with confidence. By turning recommendations into action, the Mastercard Foundation’s FIRST+II program, implemented by CapPlus, is planting the seeds of a stronger financial sector, one that views farmers not as high-risk clients but as the backbone of national growth

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