KARACHI: HBL and Agro Digital (Pvt.) Limited (a Fatima Group company) signed a strategic partnership through an MOU that encompasses jointly exploring various activities that will have a sustainable impact on the agriculture sector whilst uplifting the financial well-being of small farmers in Pakistan.
HBL’s Development Finance Group (DFG) is entrusted with deepening and extending Pakistan’s agro-ecosystem using new technology and fair-priced finance solutions to supplement the country’s agriculture value chain under a unique “Farm-to-Fork” model. Pilots involving optimal agronomy advising, fair-priced quality inputs, and mechanised services in the form of ‘in kind’ loans have been successfully launched by the Bank on major food crops. The agronomists employed by HBL “adapted” them for “each farmer in the field.” Farmers are digitally onboarded via HBL Pay, and loans are granted quickly thanks to the end-to-end digital process.
Fatima Group is a well-known name in the agribusiness sector, with a significant presence in the country’s important crops. In Pakistan’s agriculture industry, it has a significant presence. Sarsabz, the company’s flagship brand, is the fertiliser of choice for millions of farmers across Pakistan, and it is utilised for all crops and seasons. It contributes to the national economy by increasing crop yields on over 10 million acres by providing value-added fertilisers, so ensuring national food security. In addition, Fatima Group employs one of the country’s largest teams of agriculture professionals to provide advice to farmers.
“HBL is committed to enabling the neglected and underserved sections of the economy, leading to a more financially inclusive society,” stated Muhammad Aurangzeb, President & CEO of HBL. Farmers, who are the backbone of our country, will be able to develop a solid life thanks to HBL’s strategic cooperation with Agro Digital (Fatima Group). Investing in agriculture is a key aspect of the Bank’s business strategy, and it aligns with the government of Pakistan’s goal of creating a flourishing agricultural economy that contributes to the national GDP while also improving rural communities.”
“Fatima Group’s mission is to bring about change of Pakistan’s agriculture sector,” stated Fawad Ahmed Mukhtar, CEO Fatima Group, in response to the MOU signing. We’re working with the Pakistani and Chinese governments on the CPEC-II Agriculture Development Initiative, and we’re engaging with reputable enterprises to deliver high-quality cotton and other value-added crop seed to Pakistan. Our goal is to create a well-integrated and vibrant agriculture ecosystem that meets farmers’ demands for access to finance, inputs, markets, and information through the use of cutting-edge technology. We’re also working to construct end-to-end value chai using modern crop-production methods.
