MBC Autonomous Lending uses SHAP explainability and adaptive authentication to provide transparency in how we assess and support smallholder farmers. Founded by Anselmo Boaventura in Fort Worth, Texas, MBC connects sponsors with verified smallholder farmers like those in the COJAZ cooperative in Zambezia, enabling agricultural development through direct sponsorship.
What We Built
SHAP Explainability
SHAP (SHapley Additive exPlanations) is a framework from game theory that attributes each factor contribution to the final credit score. For every credit decision, MBC now generates:
- SHAP values showing the numeric contribution of each of our 6 factors
- Reason codes with human-readable explanations in English and Portuguese
- Farmer explanation as a WhatsApp-ready voice message in Portuguese
- Regulatory audit trail with Basel III-compliant documentation
Adaptive Authentication
Instead of one-size-fits-all KYC for every farmer, security now adapts to risk:
- L1 Instant (0.5s): Verified repeat farmers, loans up to $200
- L2 Standard (3s): Verified farmers, standard credit + NDVI + mobile money checks, up to $500
- L3 Enhanced (15s): New farmers or larger loans, full KYC + biometric + guarantor, up to $1,000
- L4 Blocked: High-risk farmers (conflict zones, unverified, very low scores) require human review
Production Test Results
We tested the system on 5 farmers across 4 provinces:
| Farmer | Province | Score | Grade | Max Loan | Auth Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zito | Zambezia | 63 | C | $200 | L1 Instant |
| Alexandre | Zambezia | 71 | B | $200 | L1 Instant |
| Maria | Manica | 75 | B | $200 | L1 Instant |
| Carlos | Nampula | 42 | D | $0 | Blocked |
| Abdul | Cabo Delgado | 26 | D | $0 | Blocked |
3 out of 5 auto-approved in 0.5 seconds. 2 blocked for human review. Zero human interventions on approved loans.
How SHAP Works: Zito in Zambezia
Zito credit score is 63/100 (Grade C). Here is exactly why:
- Farm profile: +7.5 (strong positive, 11.4 hectares, 5 years farming)
- Community: +5.0 (verified by agent, cooperative member)
- Weather: +3.0 (favorable rainfall, 27mm vs 22mm average)
- NDVI: 0.0 (neutral, 0.59, moderate crop health)
- Mobile money: -2.0 (negative, only 12 M-Pesa transactions)
- Repayment: 0.0 (neutral, no repayment history yet)
The SHAP values tell Zito exactly what to improve: use M-Pesa more, and his score will rise.
$25 plants a farmer's season in Zambézia.
Paid straight to the local seed shop. You get the receipt, a field photo and a harvest update.
A gift, not an investment. Not tax-deductible.
Impact on the Farmer's Season
For a smallholder farmer, this transparency means knowing exactly which farming or digital habits—such as cooperative membership or M-Pesa usage—strengthen their eligibility for resources. By understanding their score, farmers can focus on the specific activities that yield the best results for their next planting season.
Why Sponsors Should Care
1. Auditable Model
Every credit decision has SHAP reason codes satisfying Basel III requirements. When Banco de Mocambique audits MBC lending, every loan has a documented explanation of why it was approved or declined.
2. Risk-Based Pricing
Interest rates adapt to risk. Grade A farmers get 10%. Grade D farmers get 20% or are blocked. This is how real banks price risk and MBC now does it automatically.
3. Fraud Prevention
Adaptive authentication blocks high-risk farmers before any money is disbursed. Cabo Delgado conflict zone farmers require human review. Unverified farmers cannot get loans.
4. Scale Without Humans
L1 Instant approval takes 0.5 seconds. No field agent visit. No loan committee. No paperwork. Cost per loan is $0.06 (compute only) compared to $15-50 for traditional microfinance.
Frequently asked questions
What is the benefit of SHAP for credit scoring? SHAP provides transparency by attributing a numeric contribution to each factor influencing a score, allowing users to understand exactly which actions to take to improve their standing.
How does adaptive authentication enhance security? It matches the security verification process to the risk level of the applicant, ranging from instant verification for repeat, low-risk farmers to manual review for high-risk profiles.
Why is an auditable model important for financial systems? An auditable model ensures that every decision has a documented explanation, which helps meet regulatory standards and provides a clear record of approval or decline reasons.
Future Technologies
MBC has prototyped 5 frontier innovations for Mozambican agriculture: Prithvi-EO-2.0 satellite model, SHAP explainability, adaptive authentication, intent-based payments, and DeFi capital allocation. These represent research directions for what could be built to further support the financial infrastructure for 9.5 million Mozambican farmers, ensuring they remain visible to the modern financial system.
Sponsorships are gifts, not investments, and are not tax-deductible. 92% of your contribution goes to the farmer's local seed and fertilizer shop, while 8% covers field verification and receipt documentation. To help a farmer, you can sponsor a farmer from $25.