Scaling-up support for eco-inclusive, social agripreneurship in Rwanda
©FAO Rwanda
Rwanda has made steady progress toward the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with key achievements including a reduction in stunting among children under five, which has fallen from nearly 38 percent in 2014/15 to 33 percent in 2019/20. Yet challenges remain, with around 20 percent of households still facing moderate or severe food insecurity.
It is within this context that FAO HASTEN, a sub-programme of the Flexible Voluntary Contribution (FVC), is driving transformational changes in people, processes and markets by strengthening capacities among the next generation of leaders in sustainable agrifood systems. As part of HASTEN, FAO ran a business incubation workshop in Kigali in early October 2025, supporting youth- and women-led micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) to become part of the solution to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The week combined coaching sessions with opportunities for networking with public, private and academic stakeholders, who pledged stronger collaboration to improve the ecosystem of support for agrifood MSMEs. With these supports, participating enterprises are positioned to help address food security and nutrition challenges, while creating jobs and new economic opportunities across Rwanda’s agrifood sector.
The enterprises
Ten youth- and women-led MSMEs took part in the intensive business incubation workshop, facilitated by FAO in collaboration and with the technical support of SEED. Entrepreneurs refined their value propositions, sharpened customer profiles, explored scaling pathways and partnership mapping, and reflected on the social, environmental and economic impact of their work. A major element of the workshop was the development of impact dashboards, which participants can use to track their contribution to the SDGs. They also explored financing strategies to align investment needs with performance goals across the three dimensions of sustainability.
Building on lessons from the week, each enterprise developed a plan to grow its business and scale up its contribution to sustainable agrifood systems.
 | Indintambwe Feeds, based in Burera, plans to scale up its production of insect-based animal feeds, and strengthen its community-based distribution network to reach more smallholder farmers across Rwanda. Over the next five years, the company aims to establish ten new rural distribution hubs to reach up to 65,000 livestock farmers. The planned expansion will boost local feed production capacity, promote circular economy practices and contribute to more climate-resilient and sustainable livestock systems. |
 | Philemon Farm Ltd, based in Kigali, is a social enterprise using Juncao technology to grow mushrooms, produce spawn, and process value-added mushroom products such as powders, biscuits and breads. The business plans to expand its Juncao cultivation, establish a modern laboratory for production, and develop eco-briquettes and mycelium-based packaging to replace plastics. Through these expansions, it aims to create more jobs, train new growers, and create high-protein food alternatives. |
 | Cradle Ltd, connects small-scale farmers with affordable, on-demand mechanization services through a shared economy model. The enterprise plans to acquire additional tractors and establish a mechanization service hub that offers training, equipment maintenance and access to modern farming technologies. With this, Cradle aims to boost smallholder productivity, reduce post-harvest losses and enable farmers to cultivate more efficiently throughout the year. |
 | Umwimerere MJ Ltd is a women-led enterprise that transforms organic waste from markets into high-quality compost fertilizer and cultivates chili for export. The company plans to acquire new composting machinery, vehicles and land to expand monthly compost production to 1,000 tonnes. It aims to recycle more than 2,000 tonnes of waste annually, train youth and women in green jobs, and provide affordable compost to over 5,000 smallholder farmers. |
 | Smart Farming Initiative applies technology-driven solutions for efficient vegetable and fruit production, integrating automated irrigation and sensor-based monitoring systems. The enterprise plans to expand its production area, invest in additional automation and cold storage facilities, and improve market access for its produce. These actions will enhance yields, ensure year-round production and demonstrate the potential of smart farming technologies in improving food security. |
 | Earthwise Storage designs and builds solar-powered cold storage units that help cooperatives and agribusinesses preserve perishable products such as poultry, meat and fish. The company plans to deploy ten additional cold storage units across Rwanda, train cooperative members on cold-chain management and strengthen its pay-as-you-grow model for improved access, aiming to minimize post-harvest losses, increase food safety and improve incomes for smallholder producers. |
 | Whiz UPP Ltd produces natural, vitamin-fortified fruit juices and smoothies that improve nutrition while supporting local fruit growers. The enterprise plans to increase production capacity by investing in new processing equipment and packaging machinery, expanding distribution to schools and supermarkets across Rwanda. The company also aims to build stronger partnerships with local farmers to ensure a steady supply of raw materials and promote healthier dietary habits. |
 | Coffee Connect Centre Ltd supports young farmers, including young people with disabilities, and cooperatives across the coffee value chain through training, processing and product innovation. The enterprise plans to establish a full-scale coffee processing and roasting facility and expand into coffee-based cosmetic and by-product lines. The company aims to promote sustainable coffee farming, empower youth and women through training and jobs, and contribute to Rwanda’s vision of value addition and green enterprise development in the coffee sector. |
 | N&J Green Business Ltd adds value to fresh tomatoes by processing them into paste and ketchup, reducing post-harvest losses and supporting local tomato producers. The company plans to increase production through new equipment and technology, expand its factory capacity, and strengthen supply chains with farmers’ cooperatives. These efforts will enhance food preservation, create rural employment and promote locally processed tomato products. |
 | Yefeme Rwanda Ltd empowers women and youth through mushroom cultivation and value addition. The enterprise plans to scale up by increasing the number of out-growers from 12 to 50 in the near term, with a long-term goal of engaging 500 out-growers. Yefeme also aims to construct a larger processing unit, diversify its mushroom-based product range, and expand its training programme to reach more women and youth. |
National Workshop on Strengthening Rwanda’s Agrifood MSME Ecosystem
The week culminated with a “National Workshop on Strengthening Rwanda’s Agrifood MSME Ecosystem through Green and Inclusive Agripreneurship”, which brought together representatives from government, academia, civil society, development cooperation and the private sector.
Opening the event, Dr. Ozonnia Ojielo, UN Resident Coordinator in Rwanda, stressed: “We recognize that inclusive and eco-friendly agripreneurship will not only reduce poverty and hunger but also create green jobs, empower women and youth, and strengthen national resilience. In fact, the HASTEN programme, led by FAO, exemplifies how innovation, youth leadership, and multi-stakeholder collaboration can drive transformational changes in people, processes and markets in food systems in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
The event provided a platform for HASTEN-incubated entrepreneurs to present their solutions directly to policymakers, financiers and development actors. It also validated the mapping of Rwanda’s agrifood MSME ecosystem and identified gaps in financing, services and coordination. This resulted in the signing of an Expression of Intent, where stakeholders signaled their commitment to collaborate more closely to improve the ecosystem of support for agrifood MSMEs. This includes creating tailored financial products, fostering digital innovation, and expanding outreach to women and youth in rural communities.
Rwanda’s workshop was the second in a three-country series under HASTEN, following Lesotho in September. The final workshop will take place in Sierra Leone later this year, bringing the momentum of support for green and inclusive agripreneurship to West Africa.
