Partner banks serve millions of customers
Bank
Country
Equity interest
(in
Branches
Employees
Customers
(x 1,000)
National Microfinance Bank
Tanzania
35
138
2,613
1,421
United Rural Cooperative Bank of Flangzhou
China
9
137
1,652
1,573
Zambia National Commercial Bank
Zambia
46
58
1,345
473
Banco Terra
Mozambique
31
9
136
16
Banco Regional
Paraguay
40
33
676
61
Banque Populair du Rwanda
Rwanda
35
191
1,714
1,284
Total
566
8,136
4,829
To broaden access to financial services, new concepts of officeless banking have proved
essential for our partner banks. By leveraging Rabobank's knowledge of ATMs and payment
terminals, mobile service centres and mobile banking, the partner banks were given an
opportunity to approach new client groups. An impressive project in this regard is the
development of mobile banking that was launched - with the support of Rabobank - by our
partners in Zambia, Tanzania and recently in Rwanda.This new banking channel allows
customers to gain access to their bank accounts and make payment transfers using their
mobile phone. More than 800,000 customers are active users of this channel.
Improving sustainability of value chains at Rabo Development
In 2010, Rabo Development was actively involved in making value chains in the food and
agri sector more sustainable. In close collaboration with our partner bank BPR, Rabobank
Foundation and private parties started projects in the tea and rice sectors in Rwanda.
The objective was to professionalise the cooperative organisations that form an essential link
in the value chain approach.This is ultimately to result in more efficient value chains and
higher income for local farmers. In Zambia, Rabo Development supports the development of
a new cluster of high-potential farmers.The Emergent Farmer Program, a partnership between
Rabo Development, Rabobank Foundation, Zanaco, IFC and the Zambia National Farmers
Union, offers support in the transformation into commercial farmers of this group of farmers
who did not previously have access to financial resources. To achieve this, technical support is
provided by several private parties; the loans are issued by Zanaco. A pilot project has shown
that, thanks to a combination of technical support and funding, the margins on corn increased
by more than 100%. Over the next five years, we aim to double the current number of about
500 commercial farmers. In addition, Rabo Development is involved in setting up value chain
projects with major cocoa traders in West Africa.
Sicredi now new partner bank and additional investments in URCB
After the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 2009, Rabo Development acquired a
30% equity interest in Banco Cooperativo Sicredi S.A., the umbrella organisation of 128 Brazilian
lending cooperatives, in 2010.The interest has yet to be approved by the Brazilian Central
Bank. Rabo Development will actively support Sicredi in modernising its cooperative structure
and help it to broaden its product range.
In addition, Rabobank injected additional capital into the Chinese-based United
Rural Cooperative Bank of Flangzhou. This capital injection is meant to complete URCB's
transformation from a rural cooperative to a commercial bank. Apart from contributing to
the development of partner banks, Rabo Development also provides support to a number
of other financial institutions, including the Principal Bank for Development and Agricultural
Credit in Egypt, First Merchant Bank in Malawi, Agrobank in Malaysia and the People's Credit
Fund network in Vietnam. In 2010, about 100 man-months worth of banking specialists were
sent to foreign postings. At year-end 2010, Rabo Development had 19 managers and long-
term consultants working abroad.
Implementation of sustainability at Rabobank International
During the year under review, sustainability was further integrated into the core activities
of the different entities of Rabobank International. The value chain policy was included, for
instance, in GAIA, the internal customer assessment system, which is mandatory for all corporate
36
Annual Report 2010 Rabobank Group
