What is IBPS SO agriculture field officer?

 IBPS SO Agriculture Field Officer (AFO):

The IBPS SO Agriculture Field Officer (AFO) is a specialist officer post in public sector banks of India, recruited through the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) under the Specialist Officer (SO) examination.

An Agriculture Field Officer works mainly in rural and semi-urban branches of banks and deals with agriculture-related banking activities. Their role is to support farmers, agribusinesses, and rural development through financial services.

Key responsibilities include:

Assessing and sanctioning agricultural loans (crop loans, farm mechanization, allied activities)

Guiding farmers on government schemes, subsidies, and insurance (like PMFBY)

Evaluating farm projects and conducting field inspections

Promoting rural credit, self-help groups, and agri-entrepreneurship

Reducing loan defaults by proper monitoring and recovery

Eligibility (brief):

Educational background in Agriculture or allied subjects (Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, Forestry, etc.)

Selection through IBPS SO written exam and interview

In short, an IBPS SO Agriculture Field Officer acts as a link between banks and the agricultural sector, combining agricultural knowledge with banking services to support rural development.