Rwanda is eyeing a major transformation of its seed industry, with experts emphasizing that high-quality, accessible, and affordable seeds, coupled with tailored financing, are critical to boosting food security, creating jobs, and increasing exports.
The remarks came on Thursday, January 15, during the launch of joint Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and the implementation plan for the private seed sector under the Private Sector Strategic Roadmap (2023–2030).
The seven-year roadmap lays out a comprehensive framework for strengthening coordination, guiding investment, and improving seed quality and availability across the country.
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"This launch is not just ceremonial. It marks a shift from planning to action, from agreements on paper to tangible results that will transform our sector,” said Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Telesphore Ndabamenye. He urged seed companies to ensure that high-yield seeds are affordable, accessible, and timely, warning that without clarity on availability and pricing, both food security and farmers’ incomes could be at risk.
Data from the Seasonal Agricultural Survey for Season B 2025 shows that only 18 per cent of farmers used improved seeds. Among smallholders, uptake was just 16.7 per cent, compared to 72.1 per cent for large-scale farmers, underscoring persistent gaps in access to modern seeds.
"Money is the engine of life. Farmers need access to tailored financial products that reduce risks across the value chain. A bankable and investable seed sector will boost our export potential,” Ndabamenye added.
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Dr. Diane Karusisi, CEO of Bank of Kigali, stressed that achieving these goals requires closer collaboration, a stronger focus on productivity, and reduced risks across the agriculture sector.
"If we don’t have the right seeds, we can forget about achieving these outcomes,” Karusisi said. She highlighted the bank’s five-year agribusiness strategy, aligned with Rwanda’s national development agenda, which offers tailored financial and non-financial solutions, digital tools, and strategic partnerships.
Karusisi noted that the bank’s agriculture portfolio has grown from Rwf28 billion to Rwf96 billion in the past year—a 240 per cent increase. "If we all work together, we expect to close this year with a portfolio of Rwf140 billion. But the potential is even bigger. Agriculture could account for 15 per cent of our total loan book, or about Rwf300 billion.”
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Innocent Namuhoranye, Chairperson of the National Seed Association of Rwanda (NSAR), highlighted government policy reforms designed to enable private sector-led sustainable seed supply and exports. "Our partnership with Bank of Kigali will support seed development through access to capital, risk management tools, and tailored financial products for farmers, agribusinesses, and value chain actors,” he said.
Trade and Industry Minister Prudence Sebahizi added that while financing is available, it must also be affordable. "Let’s move from numbers to reality. Let’s see who is using that money and how we can make agricultural inputs—seeds, fertilizers—affordable to achieve food security.”
Sebahizi noted that Rwanda already possesses key growth enablers—land, labor, and technology—but emphasized that access to inputs and financing remains critical. "By the end of 2026, we aim to see better seed quality, increased access to climate-resilient seeds, stronger private sector participation, expanded finance, and Rwanda positioned as a regional, if not global, leader in seed production and trade.”