Rwanda’s horticulture sector is expanding as global demand for fresh produce climbs, bringing new opportunities for rural incomes and national exports. However industry experts say the country must improve coordination across the value chain, from smallholder farmers to logistics providers, to fully realise this potential. On Thursday, June 26, stakeholders from across the horticulture space gathered for a peer learning conference in Kigali. The Horti-Export Phase 2 project, implemented by IDH (a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting sustainable trade) organised an event to share best practices, improving communication, and strengthening partnerships among producers, exporters, financial institutions, and regulators. ALSO READ: Rwanda’s horticulture exports rise by 29% “Challenges like fragmented supply chains, inconsistent quality, and limited access to markets are still slowing us down,” said Benjamin Niyonsaba, Senior Program Manager at IDH Rwanda. “This conference is part of our mandate to bring people together, from producers at farm level to logistics and exporters , and find collective solutions that move the sector forward.” Held under the theme Growing Together for a Resilient Future, the conference addressed issues ranging from climate-resilient farming and financial access to logistics and export competitiveness. “Our key export crops include avocados, passion fruits, , chilies, tender stem broccoli, sugar snaps, snow peas, bitter gourds, and French beans. At the same time, we’re working to diversify by incorporating crops for the local market like cabbage, onions, carrots and tomatoes. This not only helps meet domestic demand but also supports crop rotation, which is essential for maintaining soil health and managing pests and diseases,” he said. ALSO READ: How Angel Uwantege took a leap of faith to launch her horticulture export business According to IDH, strong collaboration and knowledge-sharing are key to transforming Rwanda’s horticulture value chain and building lasting impact in local, regional, and international markets. For smallholder farmers like Dancilla Mukandayisenga, technical support remains a major gap. “We were advised to hire technicians instead of waiting for the district officers, who are often stretched thin. But that’s expensive, and many farmers can’t afford it,” she said. “Still, it’s important. If pests aren’t diagnosed early, you can lose your whole crop.” Mukandayisenga also stressed the need to deliver produce year-round. “Countries that only export during certain seasons risk losing markets. We need access to basic infrastructures such as irrigation, cold storage, and transport solutions. Institutions like Bank of Kigali, which spoke on one of the panels, committed to helping farmers accessing these solutions’’. The GIZ-funded Horti-Export project achievements was also highlighted during the event. The program has helped increase farmer incomes by nearly 29 percent and raised exported volumes of targeted crops to over 4,700 metric tons. The conference wrapped with two panel discussions that explored the full spectrum of Rwanda’s horticultural potential — from sustainable farming to export logistics. The first panel focused on building inclusive and competitive agri-food systems through innovation and standards. Discussions highlighted the importance of good agricultural practices, climate-smart techniques, certification for premium markets, and integrating smallholder farmers into formal supply chains using modern tools and sourcing models. The second panel examined how competitiveness can be strengthened through value addition, financial access, and efficient logistics. Experts emphasized the need for processing technologies, market diversification, and scalable freight solutions. Addressing financial barriers and optimizing delivery systems through data and planning were flagged as key steps toward improving Rwanda’s export capacity. Together, these sessions underscored a common goal: aligning innovation, finance, and collaboration to create a more resilient, market-ready horticulture sector. Rwanda’s horticultural exports continue to gain ground globally, with vegetables, fruits, and flowers reaching markets across Africa, Europe, UK, the Americas, Asia, and Australia. According to the latest figures, the bulk of vegetable exports went to DR Congo, the United Kingdom, and France, while fruits found key buyers in DR Congo, the UAE, and Vietnam.
