Some 2,600 farmers have received a loan from KEP Trust, a leading microfinance institution in Kosovo. KEP, together with Agency for Finance in Kosovo (AFK) and Kreditimi Rural i Kosoves LLC (KRK), two additional microfinance institutions, are supported by IFC and the Private Sector Window of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP). The 18 million-euro investment is helping these three microfinance institutions expand their support to smallholders and small businesses in Kosovo, particularly in underserved rural areas.
Remzi Bala, a farmer from Central Kosovo, applied for his first loan with KEP Trust in 2017. His initial loan—just 1,000 euros— helped him purchase a few young cows, while his second, a year later, helped him buy a more reliable tractor. His most recent loan came in the spring, when COVID was raging and his country was emerging from lockdown. The funding helped boost his herd size, which now consists of seven dairy cows and two beef cows.
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