Rabobank Group

Rabobank emerged in the 19th century in rural areas of the Netherlands. As a cooperative bank, it provided farmers and entrepreneurs with banking services vital for growing their businesses, helping improve the tough economic circumstances they faced.

As Rabobank’s development arm, we build on the bank’s heritage of providing financial services to people with little or no access to capital, particularly in rural areas.
Established in 2005, Rabo Development takes stakes in rurally-oriented banks in developing countries, helping them evolve into leading financial institutions.
We offer three types of development support: capital, management services and technical assistance.

Through our development work,we are creating an extensive network of partner banks equipped to finance agriculture worldwide. These partners serve clients in all market segments, from individual farmers to small and medium-sized enterprises.

We form strategic alliances with our partners,providing capital for the long term. Our approach is to collaborate as a minority shareholder and engaged board member, rather than acting as a controlling majority shareholder. By holding a minority interest, we ensure our partners benefit from our insights while remaining domestically owned.

In addition to our holdings in banks in Brazil, China, Mozambique, Paraguay, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia, Rabo Development also advises on projects in China, Malawi and Vietnam.

Supporting rural economies abroad is a natural fit for Rabobank. By providing people and companies in developing countries with access to affordable financial services, we remain true to our cooperative roots.