Women at the helm: Nyirabagwiza’s poultry success inspires, helps fight malnutrition

Poultry farming is one of the most profitable yet delicate or high-risk businesses. One moment, you have thousands of birds, and the next, they could all be gone due to a disease outbreak. Chickens are susceptible to various diseases that can lead to significant losses if not managed properly. ALSO READ: Huye farmers struggle with high cost of feed for pigs, poultry For some farmers, lack of market access or market fluctuations can be a major hindrance and a reason to abandon poultry farming. Besides other factors such as supply chain vulnerabilities, and weather events that can affect production and operational capabilities, operational costs such as the high costs for feed, labor, and housing also impact profitability. However, for farmers like Magnifique Nyirabagwiza who figure out the formula, it can be a lucrative business that builds a fortune. Nyirabagwiza, a model farmer based in Byimana Sector, Ruhango District, Southern Province, started small, and alone, with just a few chicks. But later, she realised a need to team with others, especially women, to create a trickle-down effect in the community. ALSO READ: Rwanda invests Rwf15 billion in pig, poultry farming Over the past three decades, the government has considered poultry a key sector for improving national food security, providing a source of high-quality protein, and generating income for small-scale farmers, including youth and women. With the ever-increasing demand for poultry products, especially eggs and chicken meat, the government continues to encourage farmers to venture into the sector. Among other safety measures, the government introduced a vaccination programme for chicks at hatcheries, so as to prevent the spread of deadly diseases such as avian influenza, infectious bronchitis (an acute and highly contagious respiratory tract disease in chickens), Newcastle disease, Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD), and Marek's disease. Nyirabagwiza—whose name means the one who accumulates wealth—is one of the women who heeded the call to venture into the risky, but highly rewarding, sector. Today, the Ruhango-based poultry farmer, and her peers, are among the leading contributors to the country’s poultry industry. “I started this project in 2007. I felt like this was something I really wanted. It was not a coincidence because, in my family, we are veterinarians and deeply attached to livestock farming,” Nyirabagwiza says, adding that she began poultry farming while still a student. READ ALSO: New project to support youth, women poultry farmers Surprisingly, at university, she studied public health, instead of agriculture or livestock farming. “I studied public health, but I believe it also relates to human health because what I am doing has everything to do with fighting malnutrition,” Nyirabagwiza told The New Times at her poultry house, in Rusororo Village, in Kirengeri Cell. When she realized that her business was growing, she encouraged women in the community to join her, and they were willing. They formed an association called Ubumwe, with nine members. “I used to look at the challenge of malnutrition and wonder what we could be doing wrong—how a child could become stunted when affordable foodstuffs like eggs and vegetables were easily accessible in the countryside,” Nyirabagwiza said. As a public health graduate, she felt the need to make a difference. Even before university, she had started doing research on how to engage in poultry farming successfully. Joining forces When they joined forces, the women first raised Rwf850,000 as starting capital which they used to buy 150 chicks. However, having started earlier, Nyirabagwiza had more chickens at home, as well as more experience. Nyirabagwiza and her group received support from a Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Government of Rwanda programme called “Strengthening of the Egg Production Subsector in Rwanda” through which they received 500 chicks to scale their project, and a modern poultry house. ALSO READ: FAO aids Minagri in setting up poultry model farms to boost youth empowerment, curb poverty With the savings after selling their first mature birds, they expanded. “We had a piece of land where this poultry house was built. We connected the house to electricity and water.” Meanwhile, Nyirabagwiza had 7,000 more chickens in Rubavu District, where she had helped families start poultry farming by providing them with startup chicks. Nyirabagwiza and her team have never lacked market for their produce. “We supply hotels, restaurants, health centers, and schools since many schools in the country feed children with eggs. We sign contracts and supply them,” she explained. They supply eggs to health centers as a contribution to combating malnutrition and stunting—something she considers her main purpose and contribution to the country’s health sector. Beyond that, the households that joined the initiative have been transformed economically and socially. They don’t just sell eggs or chickens—their families benefit first. Nyirabagwiza emphasizes that it would make no sense to produce eggs and not eat them, as this has been one of the leading causes of malnutrition and stunting. Studies show that many households produce food and livestock products but sell them for money before their families. While financial income is essential, this approach is flawed. Nyirabagwiza says they have improved their welfare as they can pay school fees, buy nice clothes and shoes, and achieve financial independence as women. They are grateful to the government and FAO for supporting the expansion of their project. They have no plans to stop, as Nyirabagwiza believes ending malnutrition and stunting should be everyone’s responsibility. “For me, the biggest motivation was to fight malnutrition and, in doing so, develop myself personally.” “I also wanted to prove that a woman can start a business and make it successful,” she said, adding that when she brought others on board, her goal was to empower them as well. She wanted women in her community to be financially independent rather than rely entirely on their husbands to sustain their families. And it has worked. “I wanted to develop myself, but I also wanted to see others develop.” What makes her most proud is the impact the poultry project had on cooperative members and the community at large. They continue to grow and hope to expand further, bringing in more people. On the occasion of International Women’s Day (IWD 2025), Nyirabagwiza is calling on women to be bold and take on challenges, including “starting something”—even from scratch. “Some women fear stepping out of their comfort zones to start something. They wonder, ‘What if I fail? What will people say?’” ‘Follow your heart’ Nyirabagwiza emphasised that the first step is to be fearless. Beyond being bold and fearless, she believes the key is doing what you love, not what others tell you to do, because passion keeps you going. For example, she chose poultry farming because it was easy and she loved it. Choosing pigs or cows just because someone said they were more profitable would not have been the same. Along the way, she met people who gave her all sorts of advice, but she stuck to what she loved—and it paid off. “When you decide to do something, do it regardless of what people say. Follow your heart,” she advises, stressing that persistence and consistency are key to success and profitability. Nyirabagwiza acknowledges that nothing comes easy. Even poultry farming is a full-time job with many challenges that require constant attention. Some of the challenges the women faced include a lack of standard feeds, modern poultry equipment, and certain veterinary medicines, which are sometimes difficult to find. This can be a major issue in the delicate poultry business, as delays in getting the necessary medicines can have severe consequences. However, these are the challenges she has learned to navigate daily to ensure success. Rwanda considers the poultry value chain an essential sector with the potential to contribute to national economic development and reduce malnutrition and stunting. FAO has invested more than Rwf470 million to empower youth and women in the poultry sector, including distributing more than 7,000 laying chickens and establishing four poultry model farms, including Nyirabagwiza’s, which received support last year. The global body provides one year of health insurance, 120,741 kilos of chicken feed, electronic devices, bicycles, drugs and vitamins, model farm inputs, and equipment in districts such as Ruhango, Nyaruguru, and Nyanza. FAO and the ministry of agriculture also provide training in poultry production and management, equipping beneficiaries with essential skills in business operations, marketing strategies, entrepreneurship, and alternative feeds. The organisation continuously supervises projects and collaborates with health centers and district authorities to track malnutrition rates through the One Egg per Child Everyday Programme, which provides eggs to children from vulnerable households in high-malnutrition areas. The initiative has significantly contributed to reducing rural poverty, malnutrition, and stunting, while increasing food security in districts such as Ruhango where Nyirabagwiza operates.

News

Women at the helm: Nyirabagwiza’s poultry success inspires, helps fight malnutrition