Central Bank of Sudan and AFRACA discuss an agricultural guarantee scheme for borrowers without conventional security
AFRACA met the First Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Sudan in Nairobi on 16 September 2026 to understand Sudan's country priorities. Ms. Ngo B. Anny Caroll, Secretary General of the African Rural and Agricultural Credit Association, hosted the meeting at the Secretariat's offices at the CBK Institute of Monetary Studies, during the 2026 Annual Meetings of the Association of African Central Banks, which the Central Bank of Kenya hosted as part of its sixtieth anniversary.
The discussion covered closer cooperation, knowledge sharing and financial inclusion, with attention to underserved communities and productive sectors.
The Agricultural Guarantee Scheme
The Secretary General presented AFRACA's work on an Agricultural Guarantee Scheme. Guarantees absorb part of the credit risk, so that lenders can finance viable agricultural borrowers who lack conventional security. Potential target groups include:
- Smallholder farmers
- Agricultural SMEs
- Youth and women
- Value chain enterprises and climate-smart investments
A scheme builds on the national guarantee mechanisms a country already has. AFRACA's role is to facilitate dialogue among the central bank, development banks, guarantee institutions, commercial lenders and development partners, and to identify where regional partnership or scale would add value. The Agricultural Guarantee Mechanism is among AFRACA's 2026 initiatives, scheduled for mid-2026.
Technical assistance
The presentation set out AFRACA's approach to technical assistance under the Strategic Plan 2026 to 2030: support tailored to each country's needs, combined with regional peer learning, across products, risk management, climate readiness and project preparation.
Follow-up
The meeting closed on the four steps proposed to each central bank: a focal point at the bank; one priority where collaboration can begin; the national institutions to connect with AFRACA; and a practical next step.
AFRACA is grateful to the First Deputy Governor and the Central Bank of Sudan delegation for choosing to meet the Secretariat during the Annual Meetings.
AFRACA was established in 1977 under the auspices of the Food and Agriculture Organization and connects more than 85 member institutions in 30 African countries.