More than 4,000 farmers under Ngoma Outgrower Service Company Ltd (OSC) have welcomed the completion of new Agriterra-supported infrastructure aimed at boosting maize and soybean production and reducing post-harvest losses. The facilities—comprising a modern warehouse, dryer shed, and an environmentally friendly fertiliser and pesticide production unit—were officially launched on Friday, December 19, in Ngoma District. The project was financed by Agriterra, a Dutch agricultural non-profit organisation, with funding from Enabel to execute the project Ngoma Out grower Service Company Model , complemented by another Agriterra project named Acting Now for Food Security financed by the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs, Directorate-General for International Cooperation (DGIS) through the Department of Inclusive Green Growth. It brought together farmers, cooperative leaders, district officials, and development partners, marking a milestone in farmer-led agribusiness development. All the launched infrastructure, including the warehouse, machinery, offices, work areas, and land, is valued at Rwf 270 million with additional working capital of Rwf 180 million which has been availed by the project to Ngoma Out-grower service company to run its business operations. ALSO READ: FEATURED: Agriterra launches in Rwanda Agriterra began implementing the Ngoma OSC model in 2020 by organising maize and soybean farmers from Ngoma and Kirehe districts into a structured Outgrower system. In 2021,Ngoma Out-grower service company ltd comprising of Agriterra and six maize cooperatives was registered with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) as a private company limited by guarantee. The company operates on a cost-recovery model designed to increase productivity, strengthen value addition, and link more than 4000 farmers from Ngoma and Kirehe districts to premium market. Speaking at the launch, Agriterra’s Acting Country Representative, Marine Umukunzi, thanked Ngoma District authorities, the Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), and other partners for their role in delivering the project. She explained that although Agriterra works closely with cooperatives in Ngoma, the services of Ngoma OSC Ltd extend to farmers in Kirehe District, with the broader goal of improving value addition, market access, and income for maize and soybean producers. “We work with cooperatives to strengthen their governance, financial management and business performance, Umukunzi said. “But strong leadership alone is not enough. We support cooperatives in becoming economically viable. That is why we also focus on bold investments that enable more profitability gains for farmers.” She noted that the new warehouse and drying facilities directly address a long-standing challenge faced by farmers—being forced to sell produce immediately after harvest, often at low prices, due to limited storage capacity and unfavourable weather conditions during harvest seasons. Ngoma OSC Ltd, Umukunzi added, aims to enhance farmer productivity to ensure a reliable supply of raw materials for processors and other off takers, while helping farmers access stable and favourable markets. Over the past four years, Agriterra has supported the company through capacity-building programmes covering good agricultural practices, cooperative management, financial management, and other skills. In addition, Agriterra supported the recruitment of the company’s management team and agronomists to work closely with cooperatives and farmers, ensuring improved yields and professional operations. The launch event also featured the handover of the newly constructed facilities to the leadership of Ngoma OSC Ltd. However, Umukunzi emphasised that Agriterra will continue to provide advisory assistance, and advocacy where needed. “This transition is about sustainability. Agriterra will remain engaged as an advisor and supporter, but not as a decision-maker, as since 2024, Agriterra transferred the company ownership to the cooperatives, KOREMU, KOABIKA, KOPAMUNYA AND SUBIZA, and these are the current owners of the Ngoma OSC Ltd, as officiated by the RDB updated company certificate” she said. “The company now belongs to the four cooperatives, which have been well trained to lead it forward.” A ALSO READ: FEATURED: Agriterra launches programme with the ultimate goal to increase production supply Viateur Majyambere, chairman of Ngoma OSC Ltd, said the new warehouses have a combined storage capacity of 150 tonnes, describing Agriterra’s support over the past five years as transformative. “Because one of our objectives is to collect farmers’ harvests and connect them to markets, Agriterra also provided us with operational capital of Rwf188 million, which is now safely kept in our account,” Majyambere said. He noted that the investment will help farmers access wider markets, create jobs, improve product standards, and protect the environment. “Our ambition goes beyond aggregation and marketing. We want to move into value addition, producing maize flour and animal feed from our harvest,” he added. Despite the progress, both Umukunzi and Majyambere acknowledged persistent challenges, including limited working capital for aggregation, and the electricity supply which has not yet been availed to the site, efforts are underway to address the electricity constraint. For the working capital, the company has started discussions with Bank of Kigali and the bank representatives at the event pledged that future discussions will be held to address this capital shortage through lending. Ngoma District Mayor Nathalie Niyonagira commended Agriterra and its partners, noting that the district is home to nearly 18 maize farmers’ cooperatives. “To strengthen Ngoma OSC Ltd and ensure sustainability, we are encouraging other cooperatives to buy shares and become members,” she said. “The drying machine we saw today can handle maize, beans, rice, and other crops. If more cooperatives join, harvest spoilage will be significantly reduced.” She added that Ngoma District has nearly 68,000 maize and soybean farmers who produce about 79,000 tonnes of maize and more than 35,000 tonnes of soybeans per good season, underscoring the timeliness and importance of the investment. Farmers speak out Didas Hatekimana, a farmer from Remera Sector and a member of Subiza Cooperative—one of the four cooperatives under Ngoma OSC Ltd—said training and technical support have transformed their farming practices. “They taught us how to separate crops during cultivation, which helped improve our yields,” he said. “The drying machine will help us avoid spoilage and selling our harvest at low prices due to excess moisture.” Hategekimana explained that freshly harvested maize often contains about 22 per cent moisture, making it unacceptable or less valuable to processors who require maize dried to a standard moisture level of around 13.5 per cent. Ngoma OSC’s maize shellers and drying machines now enable farmers to process their harvest to market standards. The dryer can process up to 10 tonnes of maize in two hours, reducing post-harvest losses and improving quality. Another farmer, Therese Nibaseke, described Agriterra’s training as an eye-opener to modern farming practices. “We are committed to safeguarding the equipment, and even when repairs are needed, we will work together to maintain it,” she added
