Zanaco & Rabo Partnerships: Driving Mechanisation Through Innovative Financing Solutions
Lusaka (Zambia), January 2026 – Feeding a growing population under climate stress and labor shortages demands a transformation in agriculture. Mechanisation is key to boosting productivity and resilience, yet in many emerging markets, access to modern equipment remains a challenge. Financing at the point of sale (PoS) can bridge this gap, enabling farmers and agri-SMEs to invest in essential assets. Banks play a critical role in making this possible. Innovative solutions like the DealerDirect portal are turning this vision into reality.
In a bold move, Zanaco has become the first partner bank to pilot DealerDirect, digitizing its Vendor Asset Finance processes and empowering dealers to offer instant leasing quotes at the point of sale. This portal by Rabo Partnerships marks a major step toward smarter and faster financing in Zambia, paving the way for scalable mechanisation across emerging markets.
Why Financing Matters
Farmers and agri-SMEs are ready to invest in tractors, irrigation systems, and solar-powered cold chains when the right tools and financing are accessible. However, in emerging markets, financing at the point of sale (PoS) is still missing. Dealer journeys are manual, data is scarce, and banks often lack digital dealer channels. This is slowing approvals and causing lost sales.
Unlocking Mechanisation for Emerging Markets
Financing at PoS can unlock mechanisation for emerging markets and banks are central to making it work. DealerDirect bridges this gap by enabling instant PoS origination through a digital dealer portal. Acting as a smart lead generator, it captures the right data upfront, allowing banks to assess credit risk and make faster, more informed lending decisions. By leveraging OEM and vendor networks and digitising the dealer experience, DealerDirect transforms rising mechanisation demand into bankable, data driven lending at the point of sale.
Zanaco Leads the Way: First Bank to Pilot DealerDirect
For over 15 years, Zanaco and Rabo Partnerships have shared a vision: making financial solutions more accessible, faster, and smarter. That’s why they are the perfect partner bank to pilot the DealerDirect platform. The tool is revolutionizing Zanaco’s Vendor Asset Finance (VAF) department.
Jamila Bloemers, Product Owner DealerDirect:
“Our vision was simple: empower dealers with speed and autonomy while digitizing Zanaco’s leasing process. By creating a 24/7 self-service tool, we’ve transformed the point-of-sale experience, making it easier for dealers, faster for customers, and more structured for the VAF team.”
What's New?
This innovation empowers dealers to close sales at the point of need, digitizes Zanaco’s processes, and enhances customer experience. The result? Faster sales, smarter processes, and happier customers.
If you are interested to know more about the pilot of this Dealer Direct Portal and how it could benefit your operations? Get in touch with Rabo Partnerships colleague Tom Gruintjes by sending an email to Tom.Gruintjes@Rabobank.nl.