Karongi hosts farmers-buyer forum to strengthen agricultural investment

By Erneste Nsanzimana.

A farmers-buyer forum aimed at strengthening market linkages and addressing barriers to investment in Rwanda’s agriculture and livestock sectors has been launched in Karongi District.

The initiative, organized by Karongi District in partnership with Inkunga Finance Plc and Opportunity AgFinance International, seeks to connect producers with buyers, improve access to finance and promote sustainable investment across agricultural value chains.

The forum brought together investors involved in coffee, tea, rice and banana farming, as well as livestock producers engaged in poultry, cattle and pig farming from several districts, including Karongi, Rutsiro, Nyamasheke, Rusizi, Nyarugenge, Kicukiro and Gasabo.

Participants identified access to finance and market opportunities as some of the biggest challenges facing agricultural investors. Farmers said repayment schedules offered by financial institutions often do not match the production cycles of long-term crops such as coffee and tea, making it difficult to service loans before harvest.

Valens Gasana, a seed potato producer cultivating 15 hectares in Nyamagabe District, said commercial agriculture requires larger, long-term financing than is currently available.

“This forum gives us hope because bringing farmers and buyers together will help us secure supply agreements that can serve as a basis for accessing financing, with repayment made after selling our produce,” he said.

Inkunga Finance Plc Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abed Cherif Muhawenimana, said the forum was created to address challenges affecting both agricultural producers and financial institutions.

“When farmers receive loans but fail to secure reliable markets for their produce, they face difficulties repaying those loans. This platform enables government institutions, financial institutions and development partners to work together in finding lasting solutions,” he said.

Karongi District Executive Secretary, Célestine Liliane Narangwe, welcomed the initiative, saying it would contribute to improving agricultural productivity and rural livelihoods.

“We appreciate Inkunga Finance for supporting our residents through access to finance, helping them improve their livelihoods. We are equally pleased that this forum is being hosted in Karongi and remain committed to working with all partners to advance the development of our communities,” she said.

Ritah Kanyana, a representative of Opportunity AgFinance International, commended the partnership with Inkunga Finance Plc, noting that the organization works with around 800 groups of farmers and buyers to strengthen agricultural value chains and expand market access.

The forum attracted more than 200 participants, including farmers, livestock producers, agribusiness investors and produce buyers, highlighting growing efforts to build stronger partnerships that can drive investment and growth in Rwanda’s agriculture sector.