By Valary Makena
Farmers and agricultural enterprises in Kenya could find it easier to acquire modern farming equipment following a new partnership between NCBA Group and Car & General to provide financing for Kubota tractors and agricultural implements.
The arrangement will allow eligible customers to finance up to 95 per cent of the cost of machinery, with repayment periods extending to five years. Borrowers will also benefit from a 60-day repayment grace period and payment plans structured around agricultural seasons and expected farm earnings.
The initiative seeks to address the high cost of purchasing farm machinery, which has often limited the adoption of mechanised farming among farmers and agricultural businesses.
Through the partnership, individual farmers, cooperatives and agribusiness operators will have access to Kubota tractors and a range of implements for activities such as ploughing, planting, cultivation and other farm operations.
Speaking during the partnership’s signing ceremony in Eldoret, NCBA Bank Deputy Director and Head of Asset Finance and Insurance Premium Financing, James Karinga, said mechanisation presents farmers with opportunities to earn additional income beyond their own agricultural production.
Karinga noted that tractors can serve as income-generating investments, allowing owners to offer services to other farmers who may not have the resources to purchase their own machinery.
He added that demand for mechanisation services during busy farming periods could enable equipment owners to generate additional revenue while supporting agricultural activities in their communities.
NCBA-Car & General partnership
The partnership combines NCBA’s asset financing solutions with Car & General’s experience in supplying agricultural equipment. Customers will also have access to technical support and after-sales services alongside the machinery and financing.
Car & General Regional General Manager for Equipment Business, Srinivas Devarakonda, said the collaboration was intended to make reliable agricultural technology more accessible to farmers.
He noted that Kubota tractors, manufactured in Japan, are designed to support efficient farm operations and help improve agricultural output and profitability.
In addition to tractors, the financing package will cover compatible agricultural implements, enabling farmers to use their equipment for different activities throughout the farming cycle.
The partners said this flexibility could help farmers expand their operations, develop machinery-hire businesses and create additional income streams.
NCBA Group and Car & General said the initiative forms part of their efforts to support the modernisation of Kenya’s agricultural sector through improved access to equipment, financing and technical services.
The partnership is expected to create opportunities for greater farm mechanisation, improved productivity and growth across the agricultural value chain.
