Agriculture and the bioeconomy

The agriculture and bioeconomy sector is a key contributor to economic growth in the world’s rural and coastal regions. It plays a vital role in food security, healthy diets and resilience to climate change. It is also the backbone for local entrepreneurship, employment and social development in many countries around the world.

At the European Investment Bank (EIB), we finance projects across the agricultural, fisheries, food, and forestry value chains, focusing on food quality and security, sustainable rural development, climate-smart production, innovation, and resource efficiency. We foster innovative and sustainable bio-resource pathways that are critical for greening the economy.

Through our long-term financing and technical advice, we

benefit farmers, private enterprises and society as a whole
promote environmental sustainability
lower agriculture’s CO2 emissions

Our goals

Through our support, we address the needs and challenges of modern agriculture:

Feeding

a growing population

Providing

a livelihood for farmers

Protecting

the environment

Our priorities

We invest in projects that:

Develop innovative, sustainable agricultural practices and technologies
Make food production more sustainable and efficient
Enhance access to finance for farmers, micro-enterprises and small businesses

In focus

A fresh idea

The EIB supports CrowdFarming, a platform that connects consumers with farmers who grow products without pesticides. Its direct-selling model promotes fresh food and sustainable agriculture that cuts emissions and delivers profits to small, organic farmers.

Together we work towards a more sustainable food supply chain.

Find out more

Browse our projects

EIB projects under appraisal

EIB financed projects

Our stories

Individual stories speak far louder than figures and charts. Discover the impact of our projects.

4 June 2024 Dawid A. Fusiek

Insect power

European guarantees help Hungarian business like Agroloop grow, boosting innovation, employment, and digitalisation

Hungary European Union Agriculture InvestEU Corporate SMEs
4 March 2024 Anne-Laure Gaffuri

Boosting women agri-businesses in Malawi

Better access to finance for small and medium-sized agriculture business in Malawi, especially those run by women

Malawi Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT Agriculture Diversity and gender
14 November 2023

From organic farmers to consumers without intermediaries

From organic farmers to consumers without intermediaries, in 5 and a half days on average. The EIB supports CrowdFarming, a platform that connects consumers with farmers who grow products without pesticides. Together we work towards a more sustainable food supply chain.

Venture debt Spain European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Climate action and environment Venture capital & equity InvestEU
14 November 2023 Vanessa Paul

A fresh idea

How CrowdFarming's direct-selling model promotes fresh food and sustainable agriculture that cuts emissions and delivers profits to small, organic farmers

Venture debt Spain European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Venture capital & equity InvestEU SMEs
14 November 2023 Dawid A. Fusiek

Trust your gut

You may not have heard of arabinoxylan, but it's about to transform your diet. COMET’s Arrabina will make food and beverages healthier for your gut

Venture debt Denmark European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Climate action and environment Venture capital & equity InvestEU
2 November 2023

Strengthening animal welfare with In Ovo

Worldwide, an estimated 6.5 billion male chicks are killed every year in the hen breeding industry simply because they do not lay eggs.

In Ovo, a Dutch company, has a ground-breaking solution to counter this problem. Their Ella® Technology can determine whether a chick will be male or female long before it hatches, ensuring that only female chicks are hatched to be grown as laying hens.

The European Investment Bank is backing In Ovo with InvestEU support, to enable the company to refine and develop its technology. Together, we are making the poultry sector more sustainable!

Read the full story

Agroindustry Venture debt The Netherlands European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Venture capital & equity InvestEU
2 November 2023 Andreia Nuno

All hands on deck

The ports in Bulgaria and in Portugal are modernising infrastructure to cut congestion and carbon emissions

Climate Adaptation Sustainability Bulgaria Portugal European Union Infrastructure Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Climate action and environment InvestEU Corporate
22 June 2023 Chris Knight

What is natural capital?

Natural capital is the value of everything that comes from nature — soil, air, water and all living creatures

Agriculture Climate action and environment
8 June 2023 Amy Serafin

Algae-powered crops

Company grows microalgae to replace chemical fertilisers and pesticides in agriculture, improving soil health and the nutritional quality of food

Spain European Union Research, innovation and technology Agriculture Climate action and environment
25 May 2023

The Financial Inclusion Fund | Story of Justyna

Welcome to Mukako, Zambia, where we introduce you to Justyna Phiri, a dedicated farmer and member of the Mukako Chiefdom cooperative. Accessing essential banking services used to be challenging for her, as she had to leave the farm for long periods of time to go to the nearest financial institution. To protect their hard-earned savings, people of her community have resorted to keeping their money at home, risking potential loss due to fires or theft.

Thanks to the eTumba mobile wallet, developed with the support of the Financial Inclusion Fund, Justyna can now conduct seamless banking activities without leaving the farm. This ground-breaking solution has not only safeguarded her finances, but also granted her and other member of her community easy accessibility to their funds, offering peace of mind and empowering their agricultural pursuits.

Justyna explains how.

Partnerships Mandates and partnerships Zambia Africa, Caribbean, Pacific countries + OCT Agriculture Development Microfinance SMEs

Contact us

We offer a wide range of financial products, as well as technical assistance through the European Investment Advisory Hub and the European PPP Expertise Centre (EPEC).

For enquiries regarding the financing facilities, activity, organisation and objectives of the EIB, contact the Information Desk
Contact us
Tel. +352 4379-22000
Frequently asked questions

Contact our Press office
Tel. +352 4379-21000
press@eib.org
www.eib.org/press