AFRACA INTERNATIONAL TRAINING WORKSHOP ON NEW TRENDS AND MODELS IN AGRI-SME LOAN ASSESSMENT, MOMBASA, KENYA

PHOTO: Participants during the AFRACA Agri-SME Training Workshop at Travellers Beach Hotel and Lodge, Mombasa, Kenya, 27^ème November to 1^st December 2023

AFRACA’s international training workshop on New trends and models in Agri-SME loan assessment is an enhancement of its previous training which focused exclusively on the Ag. Loan Analyzer tool. The training convened from 27th November 2023 to 1st December 2023 at Travellers Beach Hotel and Lodge, Mombasa, Kenya. A comparative analysis of traditional assessment methods with emerging trends in loan assessment directed to Agri-SMEs was the premise of the training approach.

During the training, it was great to see how some AFRACA institutions had adopted and customized the former Ag. Loan Analyzer tool to suit their institutional needs. The customized tool demonstration and field loan assessment visit organized by the Agricultural Finance Corporation, Kenya were some of the key moments of the training. The second part of the training covered new insights and trends in Agri-SME lending with key topics on how to incorporate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Principles and potential use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning to enhance the assessment process.