A subsidiary of Bange SA, Bange Bank Cameroun has played a key role in the country’s social and economic development since its launch in October 2021, supporting families, students and businesses in achieving their goals. Engeline Magloire Lynze, Head of Agribanking at Bange Bank Cameroun, shares how the bank is helping to drive agricultural development and economic growth.
Could you briefly tell us about the agricultural banking landscape in your region, highlighting any unique challenges the sector needs to deal with?
Banks in Cameroon currently do not finance agropastoral activities, citing the sector's high level of risk. Additionally, no insurance providers are willing to cover risks in this field. However, Bange Bank has placed its confidence in the agropastoral sector and has decided to launch a department called Agribanking, dedicated to supporting all agropastoral activities and small-scale trades.
There are several key challenges to overcome:
• Availability of arable land by production basin
• Access to quality seeds to increase yield per hectare
• Lack of agricultural machinery (everything is done manually)
• Lack of skilled labor (limited knowledge of farming techniques)
• Lack of market access (small-scale production struggles to find buyers)
• Lack of financing (no access to bank loans)
