Unveiling the future of agribanking: Bange Bank Cameroun
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 Cameroon, shares how the bank is helping to drive agricultural development and economic growth.
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)
How does your bank support the adoption of sustainable and environmentally friendly practices among farmers through financial incentives, guidance or education?
Bange Bank, through its Agribanking division, has developed a range of tailor-made products designed to meet the specific needs of agropastoral stakeholders. These offerings are aligned with the agricultural calendar. In addition to financial support, we also strengthen the capacities of agropastoral actors through training sessions, workshops, roundtables, and more.
Financial assistance is provided by value chain and scheduled according to the agricultural calendar. It is available to cooperatives, CIGs (Common Initiative Groups), and individual businesses (such as sole proprietorships, LLCs and corporations).
Continuous support is provided from the planting phase through to harvest and sales to ensure loan repayment. At the end of each farming season, we conduct a performance review to assess production outcomes and determine whether the financial support had a positive impact.
Does Bange Bank establish or build partnerships with agricultural associations and government bodies to promote sustainable growth in the agricultural sector?
Indeed, we have partnerships and agreements with cooperatives, CIGs, sole proprietorships, corporations, and even government ministries such as the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries, the Ministry of Small and Medium Enterprises, and the Chamber of Agriculture.
All of these efforts are aimed at supporting the government's import substitution strategy.
In addition to supporting farmers, how does Bange Bank address and support the broader digital agricultural ecosystem, including food and agriculture supply chain companies and agtech firms?
Given our strong commitment to this sector, Bange Bank has developed a USSD-based mobile application that allows users to access their funds with or without an internet connection. This innovation creates real synergy across the entire value chain – from producers and processors to transporters and end consumers.
Could you share examples of successful innovative projects or initiatives implemented by your bank?
The first initiative was the creation of our Agribanking division, designed to finance agricultural and livestock value chains, while also supporting small trades such as artisans, hairdressers, and others.
These innovations are the result of a private-private partnership with fintech companies and telecom operators.
What are your bank's key priorities in the agricultural sector for the next 2 to 3 years, particularly in terms of sustainable agriculture, digitalization and addressing the challenges faced by smallholder farmers?
Cameroon has set an ambitious goal to significantly increase both the quantity and quality of its agricultural and livestock production. The aim is to ensure national food self-sufficiency, meet the growing demand from domestic and international agro-industries for raw materials, and gain a stronger foothold in international markets – particularly within the ECCAS (Economic Community of Central African States) and ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) sub-regions.
Achieving this objective requires the involvement of financial partners such as Bange Bank, through its Agribanking program, which supports:
• Food security
• Agro-industrial production
• The modernization and mechanization of agriculture, livestock, and fisheries
• The marketing of agricultural products and their derivatives in both domestic and export markets
More specifically, the goal is to supply both domestic and ECCAS markets – including Nigeria – with second- and third-stage agro-industrial products by enhancing the value of local raw materials and promoting exports.
The National Development Strategy (NDS30) places the banking sector at the heart of this transformation. This underscores the need for a tailored mechanism to support stakeholders in the sector – hence the creation of Bange Bank’s Agribanking initiative. This project aims to boost the national economy, increase GDP, reduce imports and generate domestic wealth.
SME Banking community
With Qorus memberships, you gain access to exclusive innovation best practices and tailored matchmaking opportunities with executives who share your challenges.