Dakito Alemu (PhD)Ayenew Negusse2026-03-032026-03-032025-10https://etd.aau.edu.et/handle/123456789/7783This study examines the key factors influencing agricultural lending by commercial banks in Ethiopia, a sector vital to the economy yet underserved financially. Using survey data from credit officers and analysts, it analyzes seven dimensions—ranging from bank-specific and borrower-specific factors to broader economic, regulatory, and environmental conditions—through multiple linear regression. The findings show that bank-specific factors, risk assessment and management, political and institutional conditions, and environmental and climate factors significantly impact lending decisions, while borrower characteristics, regulatory frameworks, and economic indicators are less influential. The study concludes that institutional capacity and external macro-level factors play a greater role in shaping agricultural finance than individual borrower attributes, highlighting the need for stronger institutional frameworks, risk-sharing mechanisms, and targeted policy reforms to enhance credit access in the agricultural sectoren-USagricultural Loancommercial banksEthiopialending decisionsrisk assessmentThesis