Farmers increasingly turn to friends and relatives for loans as bank borrowing appetite falls

More Kenyan farmers are relying on friends and relatives to finance farm inputs as appetite for formal loans from banks and other lenders weakens.

A Central Bank of Kenya survey shows borrowing from commercial banks fell while informal borrowing from family, friends and rotating savings groups remained important, reflecting concerns over the cost and accessibility of formal credit.

The shift comes as farmers face high input costs, unpredictable weather and uneven farm incomes, making flexible informal loans more attractive than bank products with stricter repayment terms.