Regional

Banco Regional was founded in 1991 by farmers, as a regional bank centered around Encarnación and primarily active in the farming communities in the southwest of Paraguay. The strategy of the bank has been consistent since its creation; Banco Regional has a strategic focus in maintaining its leadership in the agro-business sector; a sector where the bank has a vast experience and counts as well with the expertise of its main shareholder (Rabobank). The Bank offers a wide range of products through its 38 branches located throughout Paraguay, which allows them to serve customers in various regions of the country. Its outreach strategy is to have a strong presence in the productive areas of the country which facilitates the relationship with its targeted customers. Most of Banco Regional's portfolio consists of SME loans. The main goal of BIO's investment is the growth of the agribusiness portfolio. The proposed loan will allow Banco Regional to provide increased funding to SMEs in rural areas, which in turn will support the creation of employment and livelihood opportunities for a broader portion of the population Promote common E&S standards in the Paraguayan Financial Sector, by supporting the bank in the implementation of E&S risk management for the agriculture and cattle sectors. Government enforcement of relevant E&S regulatory approaches is weak and in this context DFIs can play a catalytic role.