Aiming to scale its agricultural banking operations and sustainable finance portfolio across Turkey, Türkiye İş Bankası continues to diversify its international funding channels. Through the new credit agreement executed with the European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), the bank secured long-term foreign capital earmarked exclusively for the ecological transition of the agricultural industry.
The financing will be disbursed to farmers and agribusinesses in strict compliance with EFSE’s sustainable agriculture taxonomy and İş Bankası’s own Sustainable Finance Framework. The loan portfolio will serve as a funding mechanism for soil health preservation, high-yield cultivation methods, smart farming technologies, automated irrigation arrays, and energy-efficient agricultural equipment deployment.
Sustainable Debt Instruments and Funding Diversification Strategy
Evaluating the strategic role of this facility within the bank's liability structure and ESG vision, İş Bankası Deputy Chief Executive and Sustainability Leader Ebru Özşuca shared the following institutional milestones:
Adding to the green and sustainable bonds we issued in previous years, we completed our first blue bond issuance of 50 million USD in January 2026. This time, we are pleased to secure resources from a development-oriented fund to support sustainable agricultural activities. We place great importance on the expansion of innovative and efficiency-enhancing methods in agriculture, a sector of strategic importance for our economy and food security. With these resources, we will facilitate access to finance for our farmers and agricultural enterprises while continuing to back projects that will increase food security, yield, and competitiveness in agriculture. In the coming period, we will continue to develop our international collaborations by diversifying our bank's sustainable funding sources to contribute to our country and economy.
Rural Development and Long-Term Capital Access
Highlighting the structural market adjustments and macroeconomic expectations targeted by the financing package, EFSE Portfolio Manager Jasminka Begert noted:
Through this cooperation with İş Bankası, we aim to enhance access to long-term financing for farmers and agricultural enterprises investing in more sustainable, efficient, and resilient production practices. This partnership contributes to helping agricultural producers adapt to volatile market conditions and environmental challenges, while reflecting our shared vision to support the long-term competitiveness of the sector.
