As South Africa takes the helm of the G20 in 2025, attention is turning to its leadership role in driving agricultural reforms that balance food security, rural development, and environmental sustainability. One of the key voices in this transition is First National Bank (FNB), which is pushing for stronger partnerships and innovative financing to help farmers adopt sustainable practices.
Gert Breet, FNB Commercial’s Sustainable Agriculture Lead, emphasised that sustainability is crucial for ensuring long-term agricultural yields and protecting the environment. “Optimising scarce resources to preserve and enhance value has always been central to farming in South Africa. But there is still more work to be done,” he said.
Breet stressed the need for a collaborative approach that involves government, financial institutions, and farmers to ensure lasting change. According to him, farmers must adopt methods that reduce emissions, protect water and soil quality, and support long-term ecosystem health.
South Africa’s agriculture is highly diverse, with variable soils and climate conditions. Breet said that adopting practices such as minimum tillage, crop rotation, regenerative farming, and conservation agriculture can significantly reduce the sector’s environmental footprint without hurting productivity.
FNB is backing this shift with a suite of financing options tailored to sustainable agriculture. Its Sustainable Agriculture Loan, launched at Nampo 2024, supports investments in solar energy, irrigation systems, protective netting, and climate-resilient infrastructure. Unlike traditional loans, this facility excludes working capital but enables medium to long-term investment in green technologies.
The bank also provides asset-based finance through WesBank for equipment such as precision planters, harvesters, and sprayers, which play a critical role in sustainable farming.
“Our relationship with farmers is built on partnership,” said Breet. “We work with them to co-create solutions that are good for the environment and beneficial to their bottom line. This dual-impact approach helps improve farming systems and uplifts rural communities.”
Grain SA, one of the agricultural sector’s key support organisations, echoed the need for sustainability. Its Managing Director, Dr Dirk Strydom, noted that environmental stewardship must also consider the economic realities farmers face.
“Agriculture needs to be environmentally responsible and economically viable. Farmers are ready to adapt, but they need long-term investment and financial tools tailored to their specific needs,” said Strydom.
He noted that transitioning to sustainable farming systems often requires specialised knowledge and capital. FNB’s Sustainable Agriculture Loan addresses these challenges by offering more than just money — the bank also deploys agricultural finance experts to guide farmers through the complexities of sustainable implementation.
Since its launch, the loan has seen strong demand from a wide range of farmers, not just large commercial producers. FNB says it has deliberately designed inclusive eligibility criteria so that smaller grain farmers and other agribusiness operators can access the facility.
“We are investing in a future where climate-smart farming becomes the norm,” Breet added. “Our aim is to expand access to sustainable practices across the country and enable the next generation of farmers to thrive in a low-carbon economy.”
With South Africa’s G20 leadership creating a global platform for policy influence, FNB believes this is the time to push sustainability to the top of the agenda — not only to protect the environment, but to ensure food security and economic resilience for the country and the continent.
