When Ange Merveille Uwitonze joined a recruitment process shortly after graduation from the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA), she did not expect a classroom lesson to become her strongest asset.

"Most of the hiring team was surprised by how I designed a programme,” she recalled. "The methodologies I used came from a workshop we had at school. A simple extracurricular activity influenced how I now do my work.”

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Uwitonze, a 2025 RICA graduate, now works with GIZ Rwanda as a junior advisor under its sustainable mechanisation project.

She is among dozens of alumni whose experiences shaped discussions at a stakeholder perspective on employability and impact workshop held on February 13 to assess graduate performance and inform an ongoing curriculum review.

The workshop drew a diverse cross-section of actors shaping Rwanda’s agricultural ecosystem, reflecting the breadth of RICA’s engagement over the past six years.

Development partners and NGOs, employers and industry representatives from across the agriculture value chain, government officials, entrepreneurship incubation hubs, members of RICA’s curriculum committee and executive leadership, as well as alumni in both employment and self-employment, filled the room.

Stakeholders applauded the achieved results but urged sharper alignment with the evolving labour-market needs.

Established in 2019, RICA offers a three-year Bachelor of Science in Conservation Agriculture, built around experiential learning, with students spending significant time in the field.

Since its first graduation in 2023, the institute has produced 239 graduates in four specialisations: Agricultural Mechanisation, Food Processing, Crop Production Systems and Animal Production Systems.

Data shared at the workshop shows that 86% are in professional occupations, and the remaining 14% are seeking opportunities. Employment rates rise evidently within a year of graduation, particularly for the first two cohorts.

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For Uwitonze, the transition from campus to the field revealed differences but not gaps.

"Outside, smallholder farmers have different perspectives and challenges,” she said. "What we learned gives us the foundation. Now it’s about integrating that knowledge into real situations.”

She credits RICA’s technical training and communication skills for helping her quickly move from intern to employee.

"When you go outside, others are still learning new things. For us, it is more about applying what we already saw,” she said.

Another alumnus, Chichi Brave Ntaganira, now an instructor at Trade Africa Rwanda, echoed the sentiment, saying nearly "90 per cent” of how he works today traces back to his training.

"Even before I secured the job, I could pass the written exams confidently,” he said. "Employers were surprised by the way I designed programmes. Not only academic classes, but even extracurricular workshops shaped how I approach assignments.”

He described the institute’s training as a breakthrough and urged current students to fully embrace both classroom and co-curricular opportunities. "You never know what will be useful when you enter the job market,” he said.

He hailed the institute’s training as a significant turning point and encouraged students to take full advantage of both academic instruction and co-curricular activities, noting that the skills and experiences gained during their studies could prove valuable once they enter the job market.

Employers impressed by the graduates' performance

Justus Iyamuremye, Country People Manager at Heifer International Rwanda, said the organisation is currently hosting two RICA interns and is impressed by their performance.

"We find them practical, very skilled and open,” he said. "They are easy to go to the field and interact with communities. That willingness to connect where change happens is unique.”

He added that the institute’s effort to continuously engage stakeholders is a good practice. "It creates a feedback loop so that together we can develop solutions that respond to real needs,” he noted.

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Positive feedback paired with calls to strengthen job readiness and entrepreneurial capacity

While praise dominated the discussions, stakeholders were equally candid about areas for refinement as RICA reviews its curriculum. Uwitonze believes greater emphasis should be placed on interpersonal skills and proposal development. "In development work, you mobilise funding internationally and bring it home,” she said. "Students should be better equipped in proposal writing and project development, how to convince stakeholders to invest.”

Iyamuremye called for stronger focus on resilience, adaptability and emerging technologies.

"The environment is changing,” he said. "How do graduates integrate technology, artificial intelligence, [and] precision agriculture?"

He underscored that soft skills also matter, including communicating in a way communities understand, not using too much technical language.

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Entrepreneurship also emerged as a central theme, with Hawa Chloe Niyigena, an alumna and self-employed founder of Whiz Upp, weighing in on the discussion.

"If you look at the numbers shared, self-employed graduates are still few,” she said, referencing data showing only 5 per cent of alumni are currently self-employed.

"The knowledge we get is more than enough. The challenge is confidence and decision-making.”

She recalled struggling to choose a product line when launching her business because she had too many viable ideas.

"There are students who can start businesses but are afraid,” she said. "We cannot all keep seeking jobs. We need more entrepreneurs in Rwanda.”

She urged the institute to intentionally identify and mentor aspiring entrepreneurs, possibly by strengthening incubation support. "Help them understand the value they bring to the market,” she said. "That mindset shift is critical.”

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RICA commits to curriculum review to better align graduate skills with market demands

Olusegun Yerokun, Interim Vice Chancellor and Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RICA, said the feedback was both encouraging and instructive.

"On the technical part, we have scored well,” he said. "Our graduates are skilled and disciplined. But there is a linkage between preparing students and the realities outside our gates that we must strengthen.”

He noted that soft skills, critical thinking, and data analytics stood out as areas requiring reinforcement. The curriculum review, he explained, is both a regulatory requirement and a strategic internal decision taken after six years of operation.

"Over the years, we have made several internal observations, and these have led us to conclude that this is the right time to undertake a comprehensive curriculum review,” Yerokun said.

"We want to ensure that what we offer our students is aligned with the demands of the market they are entering. This exercise is therefore extremely important to us.”

"As RICA moves forward, our goal is to continue producing graduates who are valuable to industry and the wider community, while ensuring they are well prepared to seize emerging opportunities.”

Michelle Ntukanyagwe, Deputy Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, described stakeholder insights as essential rather than optional. "Your perspectives will directly inform how we strengthen our curriculum and deepen industry engagement,” she said. "This is not a one-time conversation but a continuous collaboration to ensure our graduates remain relevant and impactful.”

As stipulated in its 2026–2030 strategic plan, the Institute aims at molding RICA students into successful Conservation Agriculture (CA) agents. This entails developing students into CA advocates who are ethical and responsible leaders.

According to the Institute, these leaders will embody integrity, social responsibility, and global awareness; and will be equipped to foster innovation, think critically, demonstrate resilience, and adaptability to drive impactful change in Rwanda’s agriculture sector and beyond.