News

British International Investment (BII), the UK’s development finance institution and impact investor, has announced a $75 million facility with Habib Bank Limited (HBL), Pakistan’s largest commercial bank, to improve food security and strengthen climate resilience for farmers in Pakistan. The facility aims to support smallholder farmers facing climate change impacts and a lack of access to finance.

The agriculture sector in Pakistan contributes 24% to the national GDP, employs 37% of the workforce, and is the largest employer of women. This investment will enable HBL to expand its agriculture portfolio with a focus on smallholder farmers, who account for 90% of Pakistan’s farming population. In addition, HBL aims to promote climate adaptation initiatives to reduce emissions and assist in bolstering farmers’ resilience to environmental impacts.

Habib Yousuf, Regional Director for South Asia at BII, stated that by increasing access to essential finance and promoting climate adaptation measures, this partnership aims to enhance the climate resilience and productivity of Pakistan’s agriculture sector, thereby strengthening food security across the country.

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