IFC and Copeval Partner to Boost Credit for Chilean Farmers

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group (WBG), announced an investment of CLP 23,000,000,000 in a securitized bond issued by Copeval, Chile’s largest distributor of agricultural inputs. This marks the third securitization between IFC and Copeval, in addition to IFC’s nearly 16.8% equity stake in the company, reflecting a long-term partnership aimed at strengthening access to finance for the agricultural sector.

Chilean farmers face significant barriers in accessing financing, due to a lack of sufficient collateral, high transaction costs in agricultural lending, and a shortage of financial products tailored to their needs. Copeval is uniquely positioned to address these challenges by offering pre-harvest financing solutions, an option currently unavailable in the traditional market.  

The operation will support the company’s ongoing working capital needs, enabling it to provide pre-harvest financing to more than 50,000 farmers across the country. Ninety-nine percent of the farmers working with Copeval are small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), highlighting the company’s key role in expanding access to credit in rural areas.

“Access to finance is essential for small and medium farmers to invest in more efficient and sustainable technologies. This partnership with Copeval reinforces our commitment to agricultural development in Chile and promotes greater financial inclusion in rural areas,” said Jean-Marc Arbogast, WBG Country Manager for Chile. 

“With this transaction, the International Finance Corporation once again demonstrates its confidence in the work we are doing to support farmers, who continually face challenges related to climate and financing, given that they operate in a highly uncertain environment. In this context, the support we can provide is crucial for the sector’s growth,” said Jorge Lorenzoni, CEO of Copeval.

Since 2014, Copeval has increased its customer base by more than 35%, from 37,000 to over 50,000 farmers in 2025. This sustained growth has been made possible, in part, thanks to IFC’s support through previous securitization transactions, which have enabled the company to expand its lending capacity and strengthen its role as a strategic partner for Chilean agriculture. 

The project will also contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation by promoting more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices, including the use of fertigation, drip irrigation systems, and technologies that reduce energy consumption.

As part of this initiative, Copeval will also partner with IFC’s Gender Advisory team to conduct a corporate gender and inclusion assessment. This assessment will help identify organizational strengths and opportunities and serve as a foundation to develop an action plan with specific strategies aimed at fostering an inclusive culture, increasing employee engagement, and improving productivity. 

Women continue to be underrepresented in Chile’s agricultural sector, reflecting persistent gender gaps in access to productive resources, financing, and market linkages. While women make up more than 42% of Chile’s total labor force, only 3.2% of employed women work in agriculture. Addressing these challenges through targeted, gender-informed interventions will be key to achieving a more inclusive transformation of the sector.