The Agricultural Credit Guarantee Fund has signed its first guarantee agreement with a non-bank financial institution—the fintech company Activitis (LLC “Financial Company Activitis”). This marks Ukraine’s first systemic model of portfolio credit guarantees for micro, small, and medium-sized agricultural producers who obtain financing outside the banking sector, ProAgro Group reports.

The new cooperation format is designed to expand farmers’ access to credit, particularly for small farms, and to make financing faster and more flexible. Under the program, Activitis clients will be able to obtain loans backed by Fund guarantees covering up to 50% of outstanding debt. The guarantees will apply to loans for working capital as well as investment financing in agriculture.

According to Taras Vysotskyi, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture of Ukraine, involving non-bank financial institutions in the credit guarantee system is a crucial step toward building a more accessible and flexible financing model for the agricultural sector, especially under wartime conditions.

In turn, Oleh Prykhodko, Chairman of the Fund’s Management Board, emphasized that developing partnerships with financial companies and credit unions strengthens the institutional capacity of the non-bank financial sector and opens broader financing opportunities for farmers.

As reported earlier, last month the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine began accepting applications from non-bank financial institutions—credit unions and financial companies—to participate in a pilot program for financing agricultural producers.