Agricultural Development Bank Limited (ADBL) is a Class 'A' commercial bank in Nepal with a specific mandate in agricultural and rural finance. Established on 21 January 1968 (7 Magh 2024 BS), it is majority-owned by the Government of Nepal and lends to farmers, agribusinesses, cooperatives and small rural enterprises alongside a full range of ordinary commercial banking services.
History
ADBL was created to take over and expand the work of earlier cooperative and land-reform lending bodies, and for its first decades it was the main channel of institutional credit into rural Nepal. At its peak it supplied well over half of all formal agricultural credit in the country. In 2030 BS (1973) it absorbed the Land Reform Savings Corporation, broadening its deposit base, and from 2041 BS (1984) it began offering commercial banking services to the general public rather than lending only against agricultural projects.
Following the Bank and Financial Institution Act of 2004, the bank was incorporated as a public limited company on 14 July 2005 and received its Class 'A' commercial bank licence from Nepal Rastra Bank in 2062 BS. Ownership is split between the Government of Nepal, which holds the controlling stake, and public shareholders including many of the bank's own customers and staff. Its shares are listed on the Nepal Stock Exchange.
The bank's Small Farmers Development Programme, run from the 1970s onwards, became the model for Nepal's small-farmer cooperative movement and was eventually spun out into a separate microfinance institution.
Agricultural and rural lending
- Crop, livestock, poultry, fishery and horticulture loans
- Agricultural machinery, irrigation and farm infrastructure finance
- Agro-processing, cold storage and commercial farming project loans
- Subsidised concessional loans under Government of Nepal interest subsidy programmes
- Deprived-sector and cooperative lending as required by Nepal Rastra Bank directives
- Working capital for agri-traders, seed and fertiliser suppliers
General banking services
- Deposit accounts: savings, current, fixed deposits, pension, student and remittance accounts
- Retail loans: home, auto, gold, education and personal loans
- SME and corporate credit, hire purchase and project finance
- Trade finance: letters of credit, guarantees and import and export services
- Foreign exchange services and inward remittance payouts
- Cards, ATM and POS services
- Digital banking: mobile banking, internet banking, QR payments and online account opening
- Government transactions, including revenue collection and social security payments
Branch network
ADBL operates roughly 279 branches together with extension counters and ATMs across all seven provinces and every district of Nepal. Because of its rural mandate the network extends well beyond major cities into agricultural districts and municipalities, while its urban branches in Kathmandu, Pokhara, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Butwal, Nepalgunj, Dharan, Itahari, Janakpur, Hetauda and Dhangadhi handle mainstream commercial banking.
International banking
The bank is connected to the international banking network through SWIFT code ADBLNPKA, enabling inward remittance, trade settlement and foreign currency transfers for its customers.
At a glance
- Type: Class 'A' commercial bank with an agricultural development mandate
- Established: 21 January 1968 (7 Magh 2024 BS)
- Incorporated as a public limited company: 14 July 2005
- Ownership: Government of Nepal majority, remainder held by public shareholders
- Head office: Ramshah Path, Kathmandu
- Branches: about 279, across all seven provinces
- SWIFT code: ADBLNPKA
- Phone: +977-1-5721165 (toll free 16600111110)
- Email: info@adbl.gov.np
- Website: adbl.gov.np