Pre-season financing
Supporting Smallholder Farmers Before the First Seed is Planted
Farming starts long before harvest. At Agripay Ventures, we recognize that the most critical time for a smallholder farmer is before the season begins—when the need for capital is highest, but access is lowest.
Our Pre-Season Financing solution gives smallholder farmers access to flexible, affordable capital to purchase inputs, hire labor, and prepare their land—without having to sell their future harvest at a loss. It’s about enabling the right decisions at the right time, so farmers can grow with confidence, resilience, and dignity.
Why Pre-Season Financing Matters
In Uganda, over 80% of smallholder farmers lack access to formal credit. With no financial buffer, many are forced to take exploitative deals from middlemen, selling their crops prematurely at low prices just to afford food, medical care, or school fees. This cycle of pre-harvest selling limits their yields, traps them in poverty, and holds back agricultural growth.
At Agripay, we’re changing that narrative.
Our pre-season financing:
-
Is delivered in partnership with cooperatives, who help identify trustworthy farmers and support repayment.
-
Is collateralized against future harvests, ensuring minimal risk and maximum access.
-
Is aligned with our mission to promote clean energy and regenerative agriculture, allowing farmers to invest in sustainable systems like solar irrigation and biogas as part of their seasonal planning.
How it works
-
Farmer Recommendation
We work with trusted cooperatives that vet and recommend eligible farmers. -
Capital Disbursement
Once approved, Agri-pay advances financing, customized to each farmer’s projected needs and crop value. -
Support Throughout the Season
Farmers receive technical support and access to complementary services, such as clean energy and agri-tech partnerships. -
Harvest & Repayment
At harvest, produce is aggregated and sold by the cooperative. Agri-pay is repaid through a share of the proceeds—with repayment spread across one or more seasons to ease the burden.
A Smarter, Stronger Start to Every Season
Pre-season financing is not just about money. It's about empowering smallholder farmers with freedom—freedom to plan, to grow, and to succeed without being forced into survival-mode decisions.
When farmers have access to timely capital, they can increase yields, adopt climate-resilient tools, and build lasting prosperity. That’s the Agri-pay difference.
Ready to Grow With Us?
Whether you’re a cooperative leader, a development partner, or an investor seeking impact with returns, Agripay’s pre-season financing is a powerful way to unlock rural potential—starting at the root.