The World Savings and Retail Banking Institute reported early results from its climate-smart lending pilot with LAPO Microfinance Bank, Visa Foundation and “la Caixa” Foundation, one year after the initiative began in Nigeria. Water storage pools have reduced crop losses by up to 50% during dry periods, drainage systems have increased yields by as much as 100% in flood-prone areas, and solar dehydrators have cut post-harvest losses by up to 60%, enabling women farmers to sell produce off-season at three to five times the regular price. Under the pilot, trained advisers and loan officers use the Food and Agriculture Organization’s ABC-Map tool to analyze 40 years of district-level rainfall and temperature data and match farmers with suitable crops and adaptation investments. The three-year initiative aims to disburse USD 20 million in credit, reach 20,000 smallholder farmers and support 5,000 small and medium-sized enterprises annually through commercially viable, climate-smart products. Gender targets include directing credit to women for one-third of participating farmers and earmarking 45% of SME credit for women-led businesses, supported by gender-disaggregated data under the WE Finance Code.
2026-09-14World Savings and Retail Banking Institute
World Savings and Retail Banking Institute reports early gains from Nigeria climate-smart lending pilot
The World Savings and Retail Banking Institute reported early gains from its Nigeria climate-smart lending pilot, including crop-loss reductions of up to 50%, yield increases of up to 100% and post-harvest loss reductions of up to 60%. The three-year initiative aims to provide USD 20 million in credit to 20,000 smallholder farmers and support 5,000 SMEs annually, with specific lending targets for women farmers and women-led businesses.