2024 Agricultural and Rural Finance Training Course in Kenya (FAR2024)

The 5th Agricultural and Rural Finance Training Course, organised by ADA in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and supported by the Luxembourgish Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, Defense, Cooperation and Foreign Trade (MAE), took place from October 21 to 26 in Nairobi, Kenya. 

This training course aims to empower agricultural sector organisations with the skills needed to develop financial products and services tailored to smallholder farmers, thus contributing to improved living conditions for rural communities. 

The course enables inclusive finance professionals from across Africa to exchange best practices. This year, it hosted 40 participants selected from the top performers of an introductory online session held in April. The participants represented 19 African countries and various institutions, including microfinance institutions, banks and regulatory authorities.

Highlights of FAR 2024

Key highlights of the 2024 edition included:

• Collaborative learning: Participants engaged in open discussions to share challenges, successes and solutions, fostering an environment of mutual learning.
• Field visit: Organized by FAR 2022 alumnus Anthony Mbithi in partnership with Family Bank, participants visited Kagwe Concept Dairies, a milk collection center in Kabwe Down. This field trip allowed participants to see how the training’s agricultural and rural finance lessons can be applied in practice by interacting with Family Bank agents, the center's manager, employees and farmers.
• Focus on climate finance: With climate challenges on the rise, participants delved into the causes and impacts of climate change and explored sustainable financial solutions.

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Now in its fifth year, the FAR programme continues to build a strong alumni community dedicated to advancing the agricultural and rural finance sector  and encouraging collaboration. “This training not only provides essential expertise but also creates ambassadors for agricultural and rural finance,” says FAR alumnus Anthony Mbithi. “We need to raise awareness of its importance within our financial institutions to drive forward the agricultural and rural finance agenda.”

Learn more about the experiences of the 2024 participants 

Professionals interested in joining the 2025 edition can register here.