Crédit Agricole it is a bank that has made its origin agricultural un pillar identity. Born in France as a cooperative group, today its roots include over 12 million members and approximately 2.400 Local Banks, eight out of ten of which are farmers. This historic experience has not remained confined to France: in Italy, the Group has developed a concrete operating model and structured, combining dedicated financial instruments, specialized services, and innovation and sustainability projects.
A structured presence in Italy
Crédit Agricole Italia is the second largest banking operator in the sector Agri-AgroWith over 6 billion euros in loans, approximately 43 thousand customers and a market share of 8% in the territories where it operates. In 2024, the Bank granted approximately 1 billion euros in new financing, and in the second quarter of 2025, disbursements increased by 5% compared to the same period of the previous year. These figures confirm the stability of a strategic sector for the Italian economy, despite a context characterized by rising costs and complex market dynamics.
According to the Group's observatory, Italian agricultural companies continue to invest, focusing on energy transition, reducing environmental impact, and enhancing local resources. "These are companies that are looking to the medium to long term and are demanding adequate tools to support change," it notes. Victor Ratto, Deputy General Manager of Crédit Agricole Italia, underscoring the Bank's role as an operational partner with concrete solutions based on consolidated expertise.
Dedicated training, tools and services
The agricultural sector requires specific skills and tools. For this reason, Crédit Agricole has developed a dedicated model with 25 Green Business Parks, managers and territorial specialists, and a Business Unit centralized office focused on innovation, supply, and commercial coordination. Among the most advanced tools, Agriadvisor, a tablet that allows you to evaluate agricultural companies without a balance sheet, integrating technical know-how and knowledge of the territory.
This structure allows us to meet the needs of companies of different sizes, supply chains, and regions, offering flexible and targeted financial solutions.
Sustainability, supply chains and PNRR
La sustainability It has become a key element of the Bank's strategy. In 2024, Crédit Agricole provided approximately €200 million in ESG financing, with a focus on NRRP projects related to agri-solar, agrivoltaic, and biomethane.
At the same time, the Bank supports production chains, supporting PDO and PGI districts and offering digital tools such as Confirming, which facilitates access to credit for suppliers and contributes to the financial stability of the entire supply chain. In 2024, Crédit Agricole became an "Authorized Bank" of the Ministry of Agriculture to manage the PNRR Supply Chain Contracts, a key step for complex and long-term projects.
Innovation, Startups and Venture Capital
Innovation also comes from startups. Today about 40 agri-tech companies are part of the Group's Italian Villages. Particularly active is The village by CA Parma, inaugurated in 2020, which hosts 21 partner companies and 53 startups in the agrifoodtech, mechanical, mobility, pharmaceutical, and automation sectors.
Novagria Ventures, a venture building project for the agri-food sector launched in collaboration with CDP Venture Capital, will be founded in Parma, confirming a strategy that focuses not only on credit but also on the industrial growth of the sector.
This is complemented by private equity investments, such as the "Ambition Agri Agro Investissement" fund, and a structural partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture which, at the beginning of 2025, led to the allocation of a €3 billion fund to support the development of the Italian agri-food sector.
National Conference: Sustainability and Innovation
In recent days, at the Crédit Agricole Green Life of ParmaThe National Conference on Agriculture between Sustainability and Innovation: Mechanization, Automation, and Generational Transition was held. The meeting was attended by Denis Pantini of Nomisma, Carlo Bisaglia of Crea, Sergio Marchi of Ismea, the professor Paolo de castro, former minister and president of the Agriculture Committee of the European Parliament, and Mark Wolf of the Ministry of Agriculture. The conference addressed issues related to new technologies, generational transition, and financial instruments for supply chains, with a concluding video message from minister Francesco lollobrigida.
Vittorio Ratto emphasized the Group's commitment to the sector: "We aim to continue supporting and promoting the growth and innovation of Italian agricultural companies, with a particular focus on young people, by joining forces with the stakeholders involved in this study day."
