The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has officially launched a groundbreaking digital platform, ‘Zarkhez-e’, designed to provide collateral-free agricultural loans to small and marginalized farmers nationwide. The initiative aims to make agricultural financing simpler, faster, and more transparent through a fully digital process.
The platform, earlier known as the National Subsistence Farmers Support Initiative (NSFSI), is a major part of the government’s Risk Coverage Scheme for Small Farmers and Underserved Areas, aligned with the Prime Minister’s vision to modernize Pakistan’s agriculture sector and expand financial inclusion.
Developed in collaboration with commercial and microfinance banks, Zarkhez-e allows farmers to apply for loans online, eliminating the need for physical visits to bank branches. Loan applications will be verified using the Land Information Management System (LIMS) before being processed by the applicant’s selected bank.
A key feature of the program ensures that 75% of financing is provided in-kind covering vital inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and fuel while the remaining 25% can be received in cash for additional farm needs. Farmers will also benefit from agri-advisory services to boost productivity and yield.
The SBP has introduced a standardized digital framework to ensure uniform processing across banks and microfinance institutions, which have begun integrating their systems with the platform. Furthermore, small farmers will gain from 10% first loss coverage and a Rs. 10,000 operational cost subsidy per borrower.
“Zarkhez-e is a transformative step toward financial inclusion and rural empowerment,” said an SBP spokesperson. “It will help small farmers access financing with ease and transparency.”
The SBP has urged all banks and MFBs to actively adopt the platform to ensure broad, nationwide access to agricultural credit and support the country’s growing farming community.