Advans Ghana Savings and Loans Limited has trained and honoured 100 smallholder farmers in the cocoa and rice value chains.

The gesture formed part of the company's continued support to the agricultural sector and in commemoration of the 2020 Farmers' Day.

The two events took place in Oda in the Eastern Region and Weta in the Volta Region.

A statement from Advans Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency, in Accra, said the Company distributed farming equipment and tools valued at more than GHS 25,000.

These included Advans-branded knapsack sprayers, cutlasses, protective clothing, gloves, and wellington boots.

In partnership with MicroEnsure Ghana, it also enrolled the farmers onto a free one-year life insurance.

Advans Ghana with support from MicroEnsure, RMG and Nyonkopa Cocoa Buying Company, also trained the farmers on financial inclusion, insurance and good agricultural practices to enable them to improve on their farming techniques and knowledge on accessing financial services and managing their finances. ?

The statement said Advans Ghana was also supported by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa to strengthen their agricultural financing activities.

Advans Ghana, the statement noted, emerged one of the key financial institutions to promote agriculture.

"The company is proud to have already served more than 17,000 smallholder farmers with a total value of GhS4.3 million as loans disbursed to small holder farmers in the rice, cocoa and cashew value chains," it added.

The company's commitment to unlock financial services for farmers through innovative approaches was recently rewarded during the "4th Sustainability and Social Investment Awards" Ceremony, as the "Best Company" in project promoting & supporting Agriculture and Agribusiness.

The goal of the institution in the coming years is to expand its outreach and into new value chains and develop more adapted products in partnership with key actors within the Agri value chains, the statement said.

Advans Ghana Savings and Loans Ltd is a subsidiary of the Advans Group head-quartered in Paris with presence in nine countries in Africa and Asia, serving more than one million clients.

In Ghana, Advans operates in 20 branches across eight regions with the head office located in Accra-Newtown. Advans Ghana's mission is to provide client centric financial services to small businesses and under-served populations in a sustainable and responsible manner.