تقويم دور البنك الزراعي السوداني في التمويل الأصغر

Abstract

Generally, the study aims at discussing and evaluating the role of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan in the area of microfinance, while the specific objectives of the research are represented in examining the literature of microfinance and the components of microfinance sector, besides analyzing the international and regional experiences, and the reality of the local experience of microfinance, evaluating the role of the Agricultural Bank of Sudan in the sphere in microfinance in Khartoum and Bahri localities in the period 2000- 2008 as well as introducing those in charge of the Central Bank of Sudan to the efforts made by the Sudanese banks in the provision of microfinance and the obstacles facing it. The problem of the study lies in the extent to which the banks and financial institutions are committed to earmarking a ceiling of the total financing for small sectors. The research acts on a number of hypotheses. Firstly, the fund provided by the agricultural bank to the target segment has a positive impact. Secondly, the segment targeted is unaware about the policies and programs of microfinance. The study relied on the primary sources, including the questionnaire in surveying a simple random sample of 60 beneficiaries, besides using a computer-based program Statistical package for Social Science (SPSS) to analyze the primary data. The study also used secondary sources of information, such as books, work papers, periodicals and university thesis and Internet. The research has reached several findings, among which is that the fund provided by the Agricultural Bank has a positive influence on the beneficiaries, that the target segment lacks the awareness on the programs and policies of the microfinance and that the Agricultural Bank is a pioneering institution in the field of microfinance. In conclusion, the study has come out with some recommendations for reactivating the role of the Agricultural Bank in the microfinance programs, among which: The issue of gender has to be put into consideration and incorporated in the local and sector-wide policies, Concentration on projects of clear fruit and Encouragement of universities and institutions to create projects that help support microfinance.