Land & Agricultural Development Bank

What Land & Agricultural Development Bank does

Land & Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is a state-owned Development Finance Institution established under the Land and Agricultural Development Bank Act 15 of 2002, headquartered in Centurion, South Africa. It is the country's only state-owned agricultural development bank, wholly owned by the Government of South Africa and accountable to National Treasury as Executive Authority. Land Bank provides financial services and products to the commercial farming sector, agri-businesses, and new entrants/historically disadvantaged persons in the agricultural economy.

The bank's product portfolio centres on the Blended Finance Scheme, the Agro Energy Fund (financing solar panels, anaerobic digestors, and bio-digestors to mitigate load shedding impacts), the Wine and Spirit Fund (EU and DALRRD co-funded transformation initiative), and a Climate Change Initiative. It operates a R20bn Domestic Medium-Term Note Programme listed on the JSE, distributes through provincial branches with a relationship manager model, and runs an E-Services portal, AG Portal, and Investor Portal. Agricultural crop and asset insurance is delivered through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Land Bank Insurance Company (LBIC). Underlying technology includes a SAP-based ERP, core banking, and CRM systems; no proprietary technology platform or AI capabilities are disclosed.

Land Bank's revenue model is interest and fee income from agricultural lending, supplemented by insurance premiums through LBIC. GTM combines enterprise field sales via relationship managers, an online enquiry portal, presence at industry events such as NAMPO Harvest Day, and government partnerships (DALRRD, FAO) to reach smallholder and emerging farmers. The bank has been in a turnaround phase since a 2020 bond default: it received an R5bn government equity injection, reduced debt from R41bn to R6.7bn, completed debt restructuring with lenders in September 2024, and is seeking R20bn from National Treasury to support long-term farmer loans, with a stated 2028 turnaround completion and 2029 growth phase commencement.

Name

Land & Agricultural Development Bank

Legal name

Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa

Website

https://landbank.co.za

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Land & Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa is a state-owned agricultural development finance institution providing loans, blended finance schemes, insurance, and specialised funds to commercial farmers, agri-businesses, and historically disadvantaged persons across South Africa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Development Banking

NAICS

Depository Credit Intermediation (5221)

SIC

Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)

akta.pro primary industry

Agricultural & Rural Development Banks (FSABAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI)

Keywords

• Agricultural development finance
• Blended finance schemes
• Commercial farming loans
• Specialised agricultural funds
• Agricultural crop insurance

Headquarters

HQ city

Centurion

HQ country

South Africa

HQ region

Africa

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Agricultural Loans and Financing: Land Bank provides financial services and products to the commercial farming sector, agri-businesses, and new entrants. It offers blended finance schemes, specialised funds (Agro Energy Fund, Wine and Spirit Fund), and general agricultural lending.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Land Bank is a specialist agricultural Development Finance Institution that provides financial services and products to the commercial farming sector, agri-businesses, and historically disadvantaged persons and new entrants to agriculture. Its core offerings include blended finance schemes and specialised funds (Agro Energy Fund, Wine and Spirit Fund) targeting long-term agricultural loans, energy-efficiency financing, and sector transformation. The bank complements these with agricultural crop and asset insurance through its subsidiary Land Bank Insurance Company (LBIC).

Product overview

Land Bank operates as a specialist agricultural Development Finance Institution offering a portfolio of financial products and digital services. The core offerings include the Blended Finance Scheme, Agro Energy Fund, Wine and Spirit Fund, and Climate Change support. These are complemented by agricultural insurance through its subsidiary LBIC and digital channels including the E-Services Portal, Investor Portal, and AG Portal. The bank serves the commercial farming sector, agri-businesses, and facilitates inclusion of new entrants and historically disadvantaged persons in the agricultural economy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Land Bank Insurance Company (LBIC): Agricultural crop and asset insurance company offering comprehensive insurance for farmers and agricultural assets.

Products and services

• Blended Finance Scheme A financial scheme providing blended finance to farmers and agri-businesses by combining concessional and commercial funding to support agricultural development and inclusion of new entrants. Designed for commercial farmers, agri-businesses, and new entrants to the agricultural economy.
• Agro Energy Fund A specialised fund financing energy-intensive agricultural activities including irrigation, intensive agricultural production systems, and on-farm cold chain operations. Finances solar panels, anaerobic digestor plants and bio-digestors to address load shedding impacts on farm operations. Launched with DALRRD.
• Wine and Spirit Fund A fund established in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and the European Union to facilitate transformation of the wine and spirits sector by enabling inclusion and meaningful participation of Black producers across the value chain. Comprises a transformation component valued at MEUR 10 and a marketing/distribution component valued at MEUR 5.
• Agricultural Crop & Asset Insurance Comprehensive agricultural crop and asset insurance products offered through the bank's wholly-owned subsidiary The Land Bank Insurance Company (LBIC). Provides coverage for farmers and agricultural assets, complementing Land Bank's lending activities.
• Climate Change Initiative A climate change support offering that provides farmers with information and resources to address long-term changes in temperature, rainfall patterns, wind patterns, and extreme weather events. Aimed at commercial and emerging farmers adapting to climate risks.

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Agriculture (South Africa)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 24 June 2025Land Bank partnered with the Department of Agriculture and the European Union to launch the Wine and Spirits Fund as part of the Support Programme for the Transformation of the Wine and Spirits Sector in South Africa. The programme is divided into two components: transformation (valued at MEUR 10) and marketing/distribution (valued at MEUR 5), aimed at facilitating inclusion and meaningful participation of Black producers across the wine and spirits value chain.
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 April 2025FAO partnered with national institutions in South Africa to train 110 veterinary paraprofessionals (with over 70 percent women participation), enabling them to establish 14 Primary Animal Healthcare businesses serving approximately 1,100 smallholder farmers across rural communities. The initiative combines clinical training with business skills through a blended learning model.
• Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development (DALRRD)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 30 August 2023Land Bank partnered with DALRRD to launch the Agro Energy Fund (AEF), focused on financing energy-intensive agricultural activities including irrigation, intensive agricultural production systems, and on-farm cold chain related activities. Solutions financed include solar panels, anaerobic digestor plants, and bio-digestors aimed at alleviating the impact of load shedding on farm operations.
• North-West UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNorth-West University partnered with FAO and the Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute to implement a blended learning model for training veterinary paraprofessionals, combining clinical training with business and entrepreneurship skills.
• Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Tsolo Agriculture and Rural Development Institute co-implemented the FAO veterinary paraprofessional training programme alongside North-West University, contributing to rural livestock health and One Health objectives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) of South Africa: South Africa's state-owned industrial DFI, directly comparable to Land Bank as a fellow Development Finance Institution under National Treasury oversight, with overlap in agribusiness and agro-processing financing.
• Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA): State-owned DFI focused on infrastructure and development finance across South Africa and the SADC region. Comparable to Land Bank as a fellow SOE-level DFI with capital markets access and policy-driven mandates.
• Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA): A South African DFI under the Department of Small Business Development that provides wholesale and direct lending to SMMEs. Comparable to Land Bank in terms of development finance mandate and state ownership, though targeting SMEs rather than agriculture.
• National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD, India): India's apex agricultural development finance institution, directly comparable to Land Bank as a state-owned specialist agricultural DFI providing credit, refinancing, and development support to rural and agricultural borrowers.
• FIRA (Fideicomisos Instituidos en Relación con la Agricultura, Mexico): Mexican state-owned agricultural development trust providing credit, guarantees, and technical assistance to agricultural value chains. Highly comparable to Land Bank as a specialist agricultural DFI with a blend of concessional and commercial financing.

Broad incumbents

• BNDES (Brazilian Development Bank): Brazil's state-owned development bank with a large agricultural lending portfolio. Comparable to Land Bank as a state-owned DFI with deep agricultural and rural development exposure, but operating at a much larger scale and scope.
• KfW Development Bank: Germany's state-owned development bank with global agricultural finance and blended finance programmes. Comparable to Land Bank in mandate and DFI structure, but operating internationally and at far larger scale.
• African Development Bank (AfDB): Continental multilateral DFI financing agriculture (via its Agriculture and Agro-Industry Department) and infrastructure across Africa. Comparable as a development finance counterparty, though with a continental rather than national mandate.

Emerging players

• Agricultural Development Bank of Ghana: State-owned Ghanaian bank with a mandate to provide credit to the agricultural sector. Comparable to Land Bank in mission and customer base, but smaller, more focused on commercial deposits, and partially privatized.

Others

• Absa AgriBusiness (South Africa): Commercial bank division serving South African commercial agriculture. Comparable to Land Bank as a co-lender in the same target market, but operating as a commercial (not DFI) institution with different funding economics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100067484465356
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/land-bank-of-south-africa

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Land & Agricultural Development Bank