Posts by Kunal Prasad

The World Economic Forum estimates that about 600 million smallholder farmers worldwide contribute to approximately 28%-31% of total crop production and 30%-34% of the food supply. Though the world relies on smallholder farmers to feed its growing population, the responsibility and risk these farmers shoulder daily is not matched by the technological and financial support they receive to sustain themselves. Marginal farmers need help accessing financial services that can enable them to invest in critical seasonal inputs. The percentage of marginal farmers with access to finance is difficult to quantify, and according to several estimates it varies from 7% to 10%.

Agriculture is the world’s largest industry and an estimated 1.1 billion people are engaged in agriculture globally. The agricultural sector plays a crucial role in a country’s economic growth. Most developing countries rely on agriculture for food to meet the consumption needs of their people. Agriculture also provides labor and capital for industrial growth.