Dar es Salaam - January 2016:John Deere Financial working in Collaboration with NMB Bank and the local John Deere dealer, LonAgro,has signed an agreement to deliver an innovative finance solution focusing on emerging commercial farmers and emerging mechanized contractors to offer improved access to credit and address the cost of credit.

The finance solution that facilitates access to mechanization adoption is expected to aid farmers in achieving improved cultivation practices, higher yields and ultimately increased household incomes.

 John Deere Financial Sub-Saharan Africa, Managing Director Antois van der Westhuizen said John Deere understands the importance of food security and the importance of having a sustainable agricultural sector.

“Given the importance of the small holder farmer in Africa,John Deere aims to assist in creating a system whereby small holder farmers can improve their efficiencies at all levels: efficiency in input procurement, production efficiency through access to new technology(seeds, fertilizer and mechanization) as well as efficiencies in the marketing of agricultural commodities,” said van der Westhuizen, adding that John Deere understands that the small holder farmer might not be able to afford or justify the expense of the required capital investment in technology.