Banking and farming

Banking can help you to run your farm like a business, having some financial support can often help you reach your goals or more quickly.

There are many good reasons why having a bank account is a good idea:

1. It stops you having lots of money in cash around your house, which could be stolen.

2. It helps you save to reach your goals, and save money.

3. It helps you plan for the future

Accounts are easy to open. All you need to do is take your national I.D. and sign a form. Even people who have difficulty reading can open a bank account as people in the bank can help you with the forms to fill out.

You don’t even need to have any money to start with to open the account, you add to it as you go!

You can also get a loan from the bank when you have an account if you are considering making your shamba a bigger business.

You can get loans for cows, chickens, building or seeds.

Loans can be a good way to start or expand your business. It is very important to always pay back your loans. It gives you a good credit rating and credit history.

When you ask for a loan, the bank will want to know your credit history. They might look at:

• The number of transactions on your MPESA account. You can print your MPESA history.
• Whether you have paid previous loans back on time.
• Your airtime.
• Payments such as school fees, electricity and insurance – do you pay on time?

If you have a good credit history, the bank is more likely to give you your loan.

Banks can approve a loan in 2 days, and usually you pay the loan back over 18 months.

If you have a bank account, a bank can help you to make a business plan so you can make more money.