Minister of Agriculture: lending conditions to be simplified

Asad 13: August 4, 2021
Dr. Anwar al-Haq Ahady, minister of agriculture, irrigation and livestock (MAIL) said, “MAIL intends to simplify lending conditions to farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs.
He said today at the "Meeting on Access to Financial Financing and Marketing of Agricultural Products" that one of the goals of the meeting was to simplify lending. Adding that this meeting has been set up to further facilitate lending to farmers, gardeners, ranchers and all borrowers of the Agricultural Development Fund (ADF).
The Minister of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock, stating that Agricultural Development Fund receives less interest from borrowers compared to banks, added, "Loan distribution is one of the major factors for development of any sector and economic institution and has a long history in the world. Every institution and company that wants to do something efficiently and quickly needs to borrow. "The Afghan Agricultural Development Fund has been carrying out effective activities and assisting farmers since its inception."
MAIL minister expressed hope that one day ADF would become a lending bank, adding that the staff of the Agricultural Development Fund, had more work experience and a better and more effective work process than in the past.
"The fund has lent more than 1,800 million AFN since its inception. We recently approved 900 million AFN to pay peasants," the agriculture minister said. He said that we were committed to cooperating and supporting the peasants. And borrowers must also obey terms of the bank and pay on time.
Emphasizing that the development of agriculture is the main goal of the government, Dr. Anwarul Haq Ahady added: "In the future, we will facilitate lending conditions. We are at your service to improve the lives of the peasants. The people of Bamyan have a better deal, discuss these today. "Consider the date of the transaction, pay on time."
Also, Dr. Zia-ur-Rahman Zia, deputy director of Independent Commission for Conflict Resolution and Public Relations with the Government, says that the government leadership pays great attention to agricultural development. "The peasant family needs support, we expect more work with the peasants," Mr. Zia said, expressing hope that the lending conditions would be eased by Agricultural Development Fund.
Meanwhile, Dr. Aimal Arman, ADF director, said that the meeting was attended by farmers from the provinces and representatives of various sectors of agriculture, livestock and poultry. "Participants in the meeting are from different provinces such as Bamyan, Herat, Logar, Balkh, Kabul and Kandahar," He said. Most of them are from the Poultry, Fisheries, Peasants and Gardeners Union. "This meeting was held to assess the current situation and appreciate the subscribers."
He further said that the activities of the Agricultural Development Fund are improving and that it has lent four billion AFN to farmers in the last two years. He said that most of the loans were received by Bamyan residents and got repaid on time.
He added that since the beginning of the Agriculture Development Fund, 1.6 billion AFN have been distributed to 15,000 Bamyan farmers. According to him, Bamyan is one of the major producers of potatoes and the farmers of the province pay on time.
"People's trust in government has increased, we will increase the distribution of loans even more, Mr. Arman added. Mr. Arman emphasized that lending conditions have become so easy that applicants are paid within a week.
Qorban Ali Haqjo, general manager of Bamyan Agricultural Cooperatives, said that the loans of Agricultural Development Fund had been very effective,  especially during the quarantine, the farmers of the province borrowed 200 million AFN and were able to save themselves from poverty. He stressed that the money from ADF Fund reaches the farmer easily and simply.
The meeting ended with the distribution of letters of appreciation and gifts from the leadership of the agricultural sector and farmers.