Ethiopia has launched the National Agri-Finance Implementation Roadmap (NAFIR) for 2025-2030, a coordinated strategy designed to address longstanding financing gaps in the country’s agricultural sector. The joint initiative by the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Bank of Ethiopia aims to expand access to credit and financial services for farmers and agribusinesses, a critical step toward modernizing the sector and enhancing productivity.

The roadmap aligns with Ethiopia’s National Financial Inclusion Strategy, the central bank’s 2023-2026 plan, and the Ministry’s Ten-Year Agricultural Sector Perspective Plan. It is the product of multiple rounds of stakeholder consultations since November 2024, involving government officials, banking executives, development partners and industry representatives.

Agriculture accounts for a significant share of Ethiopia’s GDP and employment, but financing has remained a bottleneck. Minister of Agriculture Girma Amente noted that the roadmap aims to provide “the financial roots” necessary to drive commercialization, increase productivity, and secure food and nutrition for the population.

National Bank Governor Mamo Mihretu emphasised the central bank’s commitment to fostering an inclusive and digital financial ecosystem, highlighting close collaboration with the Ministry and private sector to mobilize capital efficiently.