Symbiotics, a leading Swiss-based market-access platform for impact investing, on Wednesday announced a US$1.5 million financing facility for iFarmer, one of Bangladesh's fastest-growing agri-tech platforms.
The investment will support iFarmer's working capital needs to expand agricultural input distribution and strengthen market linkages for farmers across Bangladesh, according to a press release.
The financing marks another important milestone for iFarmer, as international investors continue to back technology-driven agricultural platforms that improve efficiency, transparency, and access to finance in emerging markets.
Bangladesh's agriculture sector employs nearly 40 per cent of the workforce and contributes significantly to the national economy. It supports around 25 million farmers across 17 million farms and accounts for about 12 per cent of GDP. However, farmers continue to face challenges related to financing, input quality, and market access. iFarmer is addressing these challenges by building an integrated agricultural platform that connects farmers, retailers, suppliers, and institutional buyers through financing, digital advisory, input supply, and output market linkages.
With the new financing from Symbiotics, iFarmer will expand its agri-input distribution platform, KriShop, and strengthen its supply chain operations to ensure farmers have access to quality inputs and reliable markets for their produce. The funding will also support broader platform operations that connect farmers directly with large buyers, improving efficiency across the agricultural value chain.
Founded in 2019, iFarmer has grown into one of Bangladesh's leading agri-fintech platforms, currently working with more than 300,000 farmers and 24,000 agricultural retailers nationwide. The company combines embedded finance, digital advisory, input supply, and market linkage services into a single platform designed to increase farmers' income and improve productivity.
Fahad Ifaz, co-founder and CEO of iFarmer, said, "This partnership with Symbiotics is an important step in our journey to build digital and financial infrastructure for agriculture in Bangladesh. Access to working capital is critical for scaling agricultural supply chains. With this investment, we will be able to expand our operations, reach more farmers and retailers, and strengthen market linkages across the agricultural ecosystem."
He added, "We believe this is just the beginning, and we look forward to working with more global partners interested in investing in the future of agriculture in emerging markets." Aldric Luyt, head of fintech at Symbiotics, said, "This investment reflects our commitment to supporting underserved agricultural communities in Bangladesh. iFarmer's innovative model improves supply chain efficiency and expands economic opportunities. Our investment will help scale their impact, contributing to more resilient and sustainable food systems."
The investment contributes to several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Gender Equality, and Decent Work and Economic Growth, by improving farmers' income, access to finance, and agricultural productivity. It also reflects growing international investor interest in technology-driven agricultural platforms in emerging markets, particularly those that combine finance, supply chain, and digital services to improve efficiency and farmer livelihoods.
iFarmer is a leading Bangladeshi agri-tech platform that connects farmers, retailers, and institutional buyers. Through a combination of digital agriculture and embedded finance, it provides tools and market access to empower smallholder farmers and modernise the agricultural sector.
Symbiotics is a leading market-access platform for impact investing, focused on private markets in emerging and frontier economies. The group offers investment, asset management, and capacity-building services. Since 2005, it has originated over 9,100 investments worth more than US$11.6 billion for 655 companies across 99 countries. It currently manages an aggregate portfolio of US$2.5 billion across 19 funds and mandates.
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