Sustainable Agricultural Finance in the Eastern Partnership

PMCG, commissioned by the German Sparkassenstiftung, is implementing a regional project to assess the capacity needs of farmers and agribusiness enterprises in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Ukraine in order to improve access to financing for sustainable agricultural development.

The assignment aims to evaluate current financial literacy levels, identify barriers preventing access to climate-resilient investments, and provide actionable recommendations to strengthen capacity across the agricultural sector.

To achieve these goals, PMCG is conducting focus group discussions (FGDs) in each country, involving farmers, cooperatives, associations, and agribusinesses. Each group brings together 6–8 participants, with a minimum of 35% women, to ensure gender balance and inclusivity. In parallel, key informant interviews (KIIs) are being carried out with financial institutions that actively lend to the agricultural sector, providing insights into lending practices, challenges, and clients’ awareness of climate-related financing opportunities.

The FGDs are being conducted online to ensure the participation of farmers from diverse regions, while KIIs are carried out either online or in person, depending on respondent preference. To guarantee consistency and high-quality data collection, research guidelines have been prepared in English and translated into local languages, while local facilitators with extensive FGD/KII experience are trained to lead the sessions.

The project will deliver a comprehensive overview of financial knowledge among Eastern Partnership agricultural communities, highlight structural and knowledge-related barriers to accessing finance, and propose practical recommendations to improve financial and business literacy. Ultimately, the findings will help empower farmers and agribusinesses to secure financing for sustainable, green, and climate-resilient investments.