The loan will be complemented by a technical cooperation package to provide support for capacity building, product development and marketing outreach.
The loan will be complemented by a technical cooperation package to provide support for capacity building, product development and marketing outreach. In addition, advisory services to sub-borrowers will be provided by the EBRD’s Advice for Small Businesses (ASB) program with the aim of facilitating access to know-how and non-financial-development services to farmers, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in areas ranging from strategy, operations to quality management specific to the agribusiness sector.
“We are very pleased to extend this loan to NOA, a local partner we know well and hold in high regard,” said Henry Russell, EBRD director, Financial Institutions, Western Balkans. “The funding will benefit local agribusinesses and support their growth and development. It is thanks to institutions like NOA that we can significantly widen and deepen our outreach and this is key to further increasing the EBRD’s impact in Albania.”
NOA is a non-bank microfinance institution and has been incorporated as a joint stock company in Albania for more than 18 years. It has 22 branches in the country and provides traditional micro lending to clients mostly in rural areas. The EBRD and NOA have been partners since 2012.
Agribusiness is a vital sector of Albania’s economy. It provides employment for almost 50% of the population in rural areas and accounts for around 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). However, the sector remains underserviced by financial institutions, with loans to agribusiness accounting for only 2% of total lending to the economy.
"The cooperation with the EBRD always provides tangible benefits for NOA as a partner as well as for our customers not only in terms of funding, but also in know-how and expertise sharing through technical assistance and training programs,” said Herjola Spahiu, chief executive officer of NOA sh.a. “The Albania Agribusiness Support Fund, supported by the EBRD and the Albanian government, introduces a new product with attractive interest rates. As the first company to join the framework NOA re-confirms its commitment to further contribute to the development of the agriculture sector, which is a strategic one for the Albanian economy.”
Strengthening local enterprises is a key priority for the EBRD as it aims to support the countries where it invests to re-energize growth. Limited access to finance remains a key impediment for the development of a strong and flourishing private sector.
The new Albania Agribusiness Support Facility, launched by the EBRD and the government of Albania, is addressing this challenge by improving access to finance for local agribusinesses through dedicated credit lines or by sharing the risk of lending to the agribusiness sector, EBRD said. The government has made available up to €36 million to support the facility and the EBRD is providing up to €100 million in funding and risk-sharing facilities.
In addition to financing instruments, the framework also includes technical assistance to help financial institutions enhance their lending, as well as advisory services through the EBRD’s ASB program that will help agribusiness SMEs to develop their performance in a wide range of areas and improve their bankability. The EBRD is also continuing to support the Albanian authorities with specific activities in favor of sectoral reform in coordination with other development partners.
