The Greenbelt Authority (GBA) says farmers must shift towards irrigation to unlock financing from banks as lenders are now cautious with rainfed agriculture due to climate change-related production challenges. GBA chief executive officer Amon Mluwira stressed this at the closure of the 2026 Agrifinance Conference in Lilongwe on Wednesday where most stakeholders highlighted the need for banks to increase credit to agriculture sector. The banks will be much more willing to provide financing when they are sure that farmers can produce.” In her remarks, Farmers Union of Malawi president Maness Nkhata said stringent collateral requirements also keep small-scale farmers from accessing loans, branding the conference as critical for bringing important stakeholders. Most of the things they demand from farmers are things that farmers do not have,” she said.