The Agricultural Development Fund (ADF) will act as a second-tier wholesale lending institution that will lend to intermediaries in the agricultural value chain, who will then on-lend to small commercial farmers, defined as farmers with 1-30 hectares. ADF is capitalized by a $100 million grant provided by the United States Government to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan to increase lending to the agriculture sector to create a more competitive agriculture sector through expanded agricultural production and increased incomes for agricultural households. ADF will lend directly and indirectly to banks, non-bank financial institutions, credit unions, microfinance institutions and non-financial intermediaries such as private farmer associations, farm stores, agricultural depots, food processors, agribusinesses and other market participants and informal providers of finance that support the development of agricultural value chains in Afghanistan and can enhance the supply of agricultural Islamic financing to end-Agribusiness at the farm level.
