SUPARCO & HBL Microfinance Bank Partner to Launch Pakistan’s First Satellite-Driven Agricultural Lending Solution

Islamabad – The Pakistan Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) has signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with HBL Microfinance Bank (HBL MfB) to integrate satellite-based agricultural analytics into Pakistan’s lending system — marking the first partnership of its kind between SUPARCO and a financial institution.

The initiative represents a major step in leveraging space technology to promote climate-smart farming and improve farmers’ access to financial services. Under the agreement, SUPARCO will provide high-resolution satellite imagery, crop health analysis, yield estimates, risk profiling, and creditworthiness scores to enable data-driven lending decisions.

The pilot phase will be launched in Okara District, Punjab — one of the country’s key agricultural hubs. SUPARCO’s secure API and dashboard interface will be directly linked with HBL MfB’s systems, eliminating the need for manual field verification and enabling remote pre-loan assessments.

Speaking on the occasion, SUPARCO Member Space Applications & Research, Mr. Zafar Iqbal, said:

“SUPARCO is at the forefront of harnessing satellite technology for Pakistan’s socio-economic development. Our collaboration with HBL Microfinance Bank is a milestone, as we introduce our agricultural GIS capabilities to the financial sector for the first time. By combining our analytics expertise with the banking sector’s outreach, we aim to strengthen the lending process, boost agricultural productivity, and support rural community growth.”

Following the pilot, the project will expand to include post-loan satellite monitoring of crops, allowing timely detection of any unusual changes and providing a robust system for risk management and loan transparency. This partnership positions SUPARCO and HBL MfB as pioneers in introducing space technology-based solutions to Pakistan’s agricultural finance sector.