International Finance Corporation (IFC), the World Bank Group’s private-sector investment arm, has partnered with Absa Bank Ghana and Ghanaian AgTech firm Complete Farmer to channel more financing into agriculture, strengthen Ghana’s cocoa value chain and expand smallholder farmers’ access to capital, inputs and markets.

Under the partnership with Absa Bank Ghana, IFC and the Private Sector Window of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP) will provide up to $50 million in an unfunded risk participation facility, enabling the bank to extend as much as $200 million in financing to Licensed Buying Companies purchasing traceable cocoa from farmers across Ghana.

IFC expands financing across Ghana’s cocoa value chain

The facility is expected to sustain market access for more than 139,000 smallholder cocoa farmers during the buying season while supporting farming practices aligned with the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Ghana’s cocoa industry supports nearly 800,000 registered farmers and millions of livelihoods, making access to working capital critical for Licensed Buying Companies that purchase cocoa directly from farmers.

The IFC-Absa partnership is designed to improve the availability of financing throughout the cocoa buying season, helping businesses maintain purchases while strengthening the traceability and sustainability of the supply chain. Edward Nartey Botchway, managing director of Absa Bank Ghana, said the partnership would help protect reliable market access for farmers while supporting a more productive and resilient cocoa value chain.

Complete Farmer secures $2.4 million to scale farmer financing

Separately, IFC, in partnership with BIFT, is providing Complete Farmer with a $2.4 million convertible loan to scale its input financing and agronomy services for farmers.

The financing is complemented by $660,000 in advisory and grant support aimed at strengthening Complete Farmer’s systems and capacity to expand farmer financing.

Complete Farmer operates a digital agricultural platform connecting farmers with buyers, financial institutions, input suppliers and agricultural service providers. The company currently supports a network of more than 72,000 farmers across eight regions in Ghana and has an active presence in Ghana and Togo.

Through the new partnership, Complete Farmer expects to expand its reach and support up to 240,000 farmers, including by facilitating access to finance, by 2030.

The initiative forms part of the World Bank Group’s broader agriculture agenda in Ghana and supports AgriConnect’s priorities around mobilising private investment, strengthening food security and creating jobs. Nathalie Kouassi Akon, IFC Division Director for West Africa Gulf of Guinea, said the partnerships address different financing and market-access gaps across Ghana’s agricultural value chains.

Together, the initiatives give Absa Bank Ghana additional capacity to finance cocoa purchases while providing Complete Farmer with capital and technical support to expand farmer financing.

Technology and finance reshape agricultural access

The partnership combines institutional financing with agricultural technology to address funding gaps faced by smallholder farmers and agribusinesses.

Complete Farmer CEO Desmond Koney said the company plans to use its technology, farmer data and market infrastructure to scale its input financing model and give more farmers access to the resources required to expand production.

The partnerships also demonstrate how blended finance, commercial banking and agricultural technology can be combined to channel more private capital into Ghana’s smallholder-linked agricultural economy.