Farmers in Eastern Province are complaining that agricultural loans were not accessible and have appealed to authorities to set up an agriculture bank.

At a meeting that brought together agro-based cooperatives and individual farmers yesterday, farmers said that they only survived due to fertilisers and other subsidies from the government.

Laurent Karegeya one of the farmers, told The New Times that it would be beneficial if there was a bank, exclusively serving the agricultural sector. He said that agriculture would greatly improve, if farmers of all levels, got loans to expand their farms.

"Lack of access to loans make us dependent on big farmers...they take advantage and exploit us. For example, when you want to grow coffee, someone with capital will give you money on condition that you sell your produce to him or her. So, you don’t bargain the price and you are cheated outright,” he complained.

Alfred Muvunyi, a cassava farmer, said that the claim that there was a lot of money meant for agriculture in banks was ironic, because there was nobody helping them to access the billions in the banks.

He added that an agriculture bank would deal directly with farmers, unlike commercial banks, which put a lot of hurdles in front of farmers before giving them money.

The farmer was reacting to a revelation by Rwamagana Banque Populaire official, Djamari Hakizimana, that over Rwf 2 billion was waiting for farmers in his branch.

"We are told that there are billions of francs in banks for agriculture...but how do you expect low-level local farmers to access it? It is money that will always benefit only the big farmers,” Muvunyi said.

Jean Marie Makombe, the Executive Secretary of the Province, said the farmers’ concerns were being handled, noting that by 2017, agricultural banks should be in place countrywide.

He said that such banks would give loans to farmers at friendlier rates than commercial banks.

"It is important that farmers get loans based on what they have as land or other agricultural activities. You know they are limited by bank demands in terms of sureties and securities,” he said.