Many kinds of agricultural customer
Farming includes small crop holdings, larger family enterprises, livestock, aquaculture, fishing and forestry-related businesses. Customer needs vary with the production system, place, legal form and route to market. WAB’s development model addresses the broader agricultural value chain.
A household growing a seasonal crop needs a different cash schedule from a processor buying produce daily. A cooperative needs member records, transparent purchasing and authority over payments. A trader needs commercial documents and a dependable collection route.
Small farms and family farms are distinct
FAO-supported research published in 2021 estimates that farms below two hectares represent about 84% of farms, operate around 12% of agricultural land and produce roughly 35% of food value. Family farms include holdings of many sizes and account for around 80% of food value.
These estimates use agricultural census data from different years. Food shares are measured in value terms and are approximate. They describe the importance and diversity of producers; they do not establish WAB’s customer base or obtainable market.
| Definition | What it describes | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Small farm | Less than two hectares in the cited study | Loan size, servicing cost and limited conventional collateral |
| Family farm | A family-organised holding, without a two-hectare ceiling | Ownership and labour model, across small and large operations |
| Cooperative | Members organised around shared activity | Pooling, governance, member payments and collective market access |
| Rural enterprise | A business operating within the rural economy | Processing, logistics, inputs and services beyond cultivation |
Understand the customer’s whole year
Seed, land preparation, labour and irrigation costs can arrive before crop income. Household income may also come from livestock, wage work or a second harvest. A useful credit assessment considers those flows together and avoids assuming a monthly salary pattern.
The relationship should survive a poor season. That means assessing repayment capacity, existing obligations, the cost of borrowing and the implications of delayed harvest or buyer payment. Saving and accessible payment services can matter alongside credit.
See how a season creates a cash gap
Change the example costs and harvest timing below. The largest funding need occurs before cash collection, even when the season ends with a positive balance.
The growing season
Cumulative cash = collected proceeds − costs paid
Peak need = largest negative balance before or after collection
The chart records the final monthly cost before harvest collection, so the funding peak is visible even when sale proceeds arrive in the same month.
ILLUSTRATIVE SCENARIO
The inputs are a fictional single season with zero opening cash. It assumes cash collection at harvest and excludes household spending, taxes, crop losses, credit interest, insurance and existing savings. The closing balance is a cash-model output, not investment profit or an expected farmer income.
Access includes understanding and control
A customer needs clear costs, a service they can operate, and a practical way to resolve mistakes. Local languages, assisted onboarding, accessible support and reliable cash conversion can determine whether a digital account is useful.
WAB is in formation in Macao. The service model is intended to connect agricultural expertise and digital access through a licensed institution and appropriate local relationships. The customer experience will depend on product approval and operating readiness.
READ THE SOURCE
Publications and reference material
WAB development presentations · January 2025 and May 2026