Agriculture is at the heart of Rwanda’s economy. It accounts for around 25% of national income and provides a livelihood for most rural families. But farmers are facing increasing pressure from climate change, soil degradation, population growth and shrinking farm sizes. More than 90% of Rwanda’s farmers are smallholders, many cultivating less than 0.7 hectares of land. Around 40% of the country’s land is also vulnerable to soil erosion, which threatens agricultural productivity.

At the same time, many farmers rely on costly fertilisers, pesticides and seeds. This can increase production costs and, when poorly managed, put additional pressure on soils, biodiversity and the environment.

The EU-funded DeSIRA+ programme aims to make food systems more sustainable and resilient in Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. It builds on the earlier DeSIRA initiative and promotes agroecology, a way of farming that makes better use of natural processes while helping farmers maintain or improve production.

In practice, this can include improving soil fertility with organic methods, integrating trees into farmland, reducing soil disturbance, managing pests more sustainably, collecting rainwater, and combining crop and livestock farming. These approaches can help farmers improve soil health and biodiversity, reduce their dependence on expensive inputs, and become more resilient to climate change.

What will the project do in Rwanda?

In Rwanda, DeSIRA+ will bring together farmers, cooperatives, small businesses, food processors and traders, as well as public institutions, researchers, universities and civil society organisations. Particular attention will be given to women and young entrepreneurs.

Rather than promoting a single solution, the project will identify and test promising ideas together with farmers and other partners. Successful approaches will then be expanded so that more people can benefit from them.

The project will support this through grants for innovative ideas, farmer-led trials, demonstration sites, training and technical support. It will also strengthen cooperation between farmers, researchers, businesses and public authorities and contribute to discussions on policies that can support agroecology in Rwanda.

What does the project aim to achieve?

By the end of the project, DeSIRA+ aims to:

• test around five promising agroecological innovations and expand at least two successful solutions;
• support more than half of participating farmers to adopt agroecological practices;
• help around half of supported producers increase their productivity and incomes;
• strengthen the capacities of at least 17 organisations;
• establish or reinforce at least three partnerships bringing together different actors in the food system;
• contribute to the integration of agroecology into national policies and planning;
• ensure that women and young people represent at least 20% of participants in supported innovation partnerships.

Investment and long-term ambition

Ultimately, the programme aims to help build a food system that is more productive, more resilient to climate change and better for the environment, while increasing farmers’ incomes and strengthening cooperation across the region.