Project detail - NMB Foundation

Who is our customer?

NMB Foundation is the corporate social investment arm of NMB Bank PLC and the contracting entity for this engagement. The Foundation was funded in 2021. Its mission is to champion socio-economic prosperity for low-income communities in Tanzania through strategic partnerships and impactful programs. The Foundation focuses on five thematic pillars: 1. Scholarships and mentorship programs for underprivileged students. 2. Support for hospitals and health infrastructure. 3. Training and financial inclusion for smallholder farmers. 4. Promoting sustainability and climate resilience. 5. Skills development and business support for youth and women NMB Foundation has trained over 150,000 smallholder farmers through cooperative models, in collaboration with Rabobank Foundation.

What is our funding objective?

The project aims to capacitate 3,000 smallholder sugarcane farmers (at least 60% of whom would be women and youth) in the Kasulu District, Kigoma Region, to become climate-resilient and market-ready producers. Its core activities include delivering climate-smart agricultural training through Farmer Field Schools (FFS), establishing sugarcane nurseries for improved varieties, and providing targeted capacity building on regenerative practices, soil health, and efficient irrigation. In addition, the project will also link the program beneficiaries with NMB Bank to support access to tailored financial products, such as seasonal credits and input loans, and deliver financial literacy training, to help farmers access and manage these financial services effectively. Additionally, the initiative focuses on integrating smallholder farmers into the Kasulu Sugar Project’s out-grower scheme by facilitating contractual agreements, supporting collective marketing through strengthened cooperatives, and improving access to certified inputs and mechanization services. Market linkage activities include organizing cane bulking, coordinated harvesting, and advocating for infrastructure upgrades to reduce post-harvest losses.

Why do we fund this investment?

This project addresses barriers faced by smallholder sugarcane farmers in Kasulu District, Tanzania, including low productivity, limited access to finance, and vulnerability to climate change. By providing training in climate-smart agriculture, financial literacy, and cooperative development, the project will enable farmers (60% of whom will be women and youth) to participate in the Kasulu Sugar Project supply chain. The intervention will support core Nasira target beneficiaries, such as rural, agri, women, and young entrepreneurs, with a targeted package of training and tailored financial products. The program intends to optimize input acquisition, adopt climate-resilience farming practices, and provide the beneficiaries with affordable finance. By strengthening farmers’ skills and linking them with NMB Bank, the project will help bridge the financing gap in this critical value chain, making it easier for the project beneficiaries to access loans and other financial services. In partnership with NMB Bank Tanzania PLC, the Foundation will act as an intermediary to facilitate access to financial products, ensuring that farmers have the financial tools they need to invest in their businesses and participate in the Kasulu Sugar Project supply chain as outgrowers. The project will also support Tanzania’s national goal of achieving sugar self-sufficiency by 2025. The Kasulu Sugar Project, a major agro-industrial investment project led by Mufindi Paper Mills, a large pulp and paper mill with a strong presence in East Africa. Once fully operational (2026), the factory is projected to process over 1 million metric tons of cane annually, producing up to 110,000 metric tons of sugar, and creating approximately 3,000 direct and 2,000 indirect jobs. By supporting this project, FMO will be directly contributing to the following Sustainable Development Goals SDGs: 1, 5, 8, 10, and 12.