Banco Pichincha and Rabo Partnerships Extend Strategic Alliance to Strengthen Ecuador’s Agricultural Sector

31 October 2025 11:57

Quito, October 2025 - Banco Pichincha and Rabo Partnerships have officially extended their strategic alliance for another three years, reinforcing their shared commitment to sustainable agricultural development and financial inclusion across Ecuador. Since its inception in 2019, the partnership has contributed to advancing financial inclusion and driving impact in rural finance.

Banco Pichincha

Over the past six years, the collaboration between Banco Pichincha and Rabo Partnerships has supported positive financial outcomes, with a shared focus on rural economic development. The alliance has enabled Banco Pichincha’s growth in agricultural lending, with its Food & Agribusiness (F&A) lending portfolio growing from USD 936 million (2019) to USD 2.544 billion (2025). This represents 30% of the total F&A disbursements in Ecuador’s financial system. Rabo Partnerships has contributed by sharing their global knowledge and expertise through technical assistance, amongst many others, on:

    F&A Strategy; F&A Sector risk assessment methodology & risk mitigation; F&A Sector management organizational structuring; A training and tool for Sustainability Score & Awareness; Credit flow evaluations; Digital platform assessments, and Blended finance (transaction de-risking approach).

In recent years Rabo Partnerships has hosted study tours for employees of Banco Pichincha in the Netherlands on topics like F&A, Sustainability & Risk. Banco Pichincha has, amongst others, used these insights to create an agri-finance structure tailored to the needs of their F&A producers.

Banco Pichincha

““This partnership is a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration” - Federico Rossi, Program Manager Latin America at Rabo Partnerships”

Impact on Farmers and Rural Communities

Through the partnership Banco Pichincha has strengthened it capacity to serve rural communities. Initiatives such as the creation of the Agribusiness team (2021), the launch of the Agro Visits Guide and Sustainability Score integration (2022) and the development of the Agro Library with 32 financial solutions (2024) have all contributed to Banco Pichincha supporting over 100,000 farmers and their families. These developments are a reflection of our shared commitment to improving rural livelihoods and resilience.

“Understanding the agricultural cycle in depth has allowed us to offer solutions adapted to the real needs of our customers,” said Santiago Bayas, CEO of Banco Pichincha. “This strategic alliance has strengthened our commitment to the development of one of the most important sectors of the Ecuadorian economy.”

The renewed agreement will focus on three strategic pillars:

    Sustainability: Promoting environmentally responsible practices and resilience in agricultural value chains. Digitalisation: Leveraging technology to improve service delivery and operational efficiency. Data Management: Enhancing data governance to build inclusive financial ecosystems and attract investment.

These pillars will guide the next phase of the partnership, enabling deeper impact of Banco Pichincha in the F&A and broader reach in the sector.

The extension of the alliance between Banco Pichincha and Rabo Partnerships marks a renewed step in our joint efforts to contribute to Ecuador’s broader agricultural development, alongside other key stakeholders. It is more than a contract, it is a shared commitment to innovation, inclusion and sustainable growth.