The government has set aside at least Rwf23 billion in the proposed 2026/27 budget to expand the capacity of the national strategic grain reserve.

Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, told parliamentarians that the move is aimed at strengthening food security and cushioning the country against shocks such as droughts and rising food prices.

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The proposed spending will support the construction of silos and the purchase of maize and beans.

Rwanda seeks to increase national maize storage capacity from 46,000 tonnes to at least 200,000 tonnes by 2029.

However, the official highlighted that there is a funding shortfall. More than Rwf200 billion is needed for the entire National Strategic Grain Reserve Project up to 2027.

So far, he said, Rwf91.6 billion has been spent on the project since 2010. "The budget is still too low to help increase the capacity of the grain reserves.”

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Post-harvest losses

The government seeks to increase funding as part of efforts aimed at reducing post-harvest losses to just 5 per cent.

The agriculture and livestock sectors in general have been allocated Rwf352.5 billion, which will fund major projects including the supply of agro-inputs, local seed production and multiplication for key crops such as maize, wheat, soya beans, Irish potatoes, rice, cassava and beans.

It will also enable the operationalisation of the Gabiro Agribusiness Hub.

However, Kamana said there are still gaps in allocations.

"We need Rwf7.2 billion to increase the number of silos and warehouses,” he noted.

He added: "There are arrears worth Rwf29 billion for the 2026 farming Season B subsidies for seeds, fertilisers and lime. At least Rwf17.2 billion has been set aside for this in 2026/27.”

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MP Speciose Mukandanga said Musanze District was grappling with substantial arrears related to agricultural subsidies.

"This is an issue we observed during the MPs’ field tour. The arrears stood at about Rwf20 billion. It is encouraging that, as the budget is being presented, some of these arrears have already been cleared,” she noted.

"Payments are being made for farming Seasons A and B, and the new budget could help settle the remaining arrears so that farmers receive agro-inputs on time,” she added.

Mukandanga also noted that farmers in Rwangingo cultivated 400 hectares during the 2026 Season A using seeds that failed to germinate. The seeds had been supplied by Western Seed Company.

Key concerns

MP Odette Uwamariya raised concerns over delays in lime distribution in Musanze and Burera districts after former extraction sites were taken over by CIMERWA for cement production.

Florence Uwamahoro, Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), said an alternative lime extraction site had been secured. However, she noted that poor road access and lack of electricity in the area were hampering lime processing and transportation.

"We are discussing the matter with the concerned institutions,” she said.