Standard Bank Backs Climate-Smart Farming - Social TV

Standard Bank says it’s bolstering resilience for Southern African agriculture as producers prepare for the 2026–2027 El Niño cycle. With El Niño conditions already forming in the Pacific and forecasts suggesting stronger conditions in coming months, the bank warns of greater climate volatility, including drought, heat stress, shifting rainfall and added pressure on water resources. Standard Bank’s climate risk assessments conclude the region enters this cycle better prepared than during previous major drought periods, citing investment over recent years in irrigation, water management, climate intelligence, improved seed genetics and precision farming, along with stronger dam levels and soil moisture from recent rainfall. The bank is also backing regenerative agriculture. At NAMPO Harvest Day in May, Standard Bank announced a partnership with Orizon Agriculture for what it calls South Africa’s first bank-backed regenerative agriculture carbon crop credit programme, enabling verified soil and emissions improvements to generate carbon credits and potentially add income for farmers.