PRESS RELEASE: ACES and MINAGRI partner to unlock Rwanda’s cold chain infrastructure and agricultural markets

Kigali, Rwanda, March 26, 2026 – Rwanda has taken a major step towards strengthening its agricultural value chains and unlocking green investment by signing a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and the Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES). The agreement will see the technical rehabilitation and operationalisation of 10 cold-room packhouse facilities across Rwanda, transforming underutilised infrastructure into a national network of climate-resilient, capacity-building, research and market-linked food systems. From infrastructure to market systems The initiative goes beyond infrastructure deployment. It is designed to build the systems required to connect farmers to markets, reduce post-harvest losses, and unlock new opportunities for value addition and export growth. The 10 facilities, strategically located across Rulindo, Rwamagana, Gatsibo, Ngoma, Nyanza and Karongi, will serve an addressable market of over 400,000 smallholder farming households across Rwanda’s key agricultural zones. Each packhouse will integrate: 120m² processing space with cold storage capabilities Temperature-controlled environments (12–15°C processing; up to 4°C storage) Solar-powered energy systems Post-harvest handling and aggregation infrastructure This will enable the movement of produce from farm to market under controlled conditions, significantly reducing losses and extending shelf life. Unlocking scale: from production to investment Rwanda’s agricultural production base presents a significant opportunity for cold-chain investment. According to technical assessments: Rwanda’s Total Addressable Market (TAM) for fruit and vegetable cold chains spans 495,155 hectares across 13,379 production sites. The 10-packhouse network will directly serve 4,811 production sites (36% of TAM), covering 185,447 hectares. This represents a market of over 2.3 million metric tonnes of produce annually Even at modest utilisation levels (1.6% of the serviceable market), the facilities can operate at full capacity, demonstrating both commercial viability and scalability. Building food corridors and export readiness The project will establish integrated food corridors, linking farmers to domestic premium markets, exporters, and regional and international value chains. The facilities will operate under HACCP and Rwanda GAP certification, with progression toward Global G.A.P. standards, ensuring compliance with international food safety requirements and enabling access to export markets. A systems approach to agricultural transformation The MoU reflects a broader strategic shift—from isolated infrastructure to integrated systems development. Under the agreement: MINAGRI will provide policy support, oversight, and stakeholder coordination ACES will lead technical design, operationalisation, training, and business model development Facilities will serve as “living laboratories” for training, innovation and research A joint steering committee will oversee implementation and scaling The initiative also aligns with Rwanda’s NST2, PSTA5 and Vision 2050, supporting green growth, job creation, and rural economic transformation. Speaking at the signing, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources Dr. Olivier Kamana, emphasised the national significance of the initiative: “This partnership reflects our commitment to transforming agriculture into a modern, competitive and market-oriented sector. By strengthening cold-chain infrastructure and connecting farmers to reliable markets, we are addressing post-harvest losses while unlocking new opportunities for value addition, exports and rural incomes.” The Permanent Secretary added: “This is not just about infrastructure, it is about building systems that enable farmers to participate fully in the economy, supported by innovation, partnerships and sustainable investment.” ACES Perspective Professor Toby Peters, Executive Director of ACES, highlighted the systemic importance of the initiative: “Across Africa, we often focus on production, but the real challenge lies between the farm and the market. This initiative is about building the systems that connect the two: cooling, logistics, standards, skills and market access.” “By turning underutilised infrastructure into integrated food systems, Rwanda is demonstrating how climate-smart agriculture can deliver both economic and environmental returns.” He added. A platform for scaling across Africa Beyond Rwanda, the initiative positions ACES as a continental platform for scaling sustainable cold-chain systems, supporting food security, climate resilience, agricultural exports and green industrial development. It also opens opportunities for partnerships with investors, off-takers, logistics providers and agribusinesses. About MINAGRI The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) has the mission of promoting the sustainable development of a modern, efficient, and competitive agriculture and livestock sector to ensure food security, agricultural exports, and the diversification of production for the benefit of farmers and the country's economy. About ACES The Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) is a first-of-its-kind global Centre of Excellence, focused on developing holistic and sustainable system-level cold-chain solutions. Built on a “Hub and Specialised Outreach and Knowledge Establishment (SPOKE)” model, ACES shares knowledge, training, and technical support across markets. ACES serves as the first regional Hub, while SPOKEs, developed with in-country expert partners, provide local training and community support to put tested real-world solutions into practice. The Africa Centre of Excellence for Sustainable Cooling and Cold-Chain (ACES) has been made possible through the joint support of the Governments of Rwanda and United Kingdom; UNEP; University of Birmingham, leading a UK academic consortium including Heriot-Watt University, Cranfield University, London South Bank University, Exeter University, University of Rwanda and Rwanda Polytechnic. For media enquiries: For ACES Email address: aces@cleancooling.org For MINAGRI Email address: info@minagri.gov.rw

News

PRESS RELEASE: ACES and MINAGRI partner to unlock Rwanda’s cold chain infrastructure and agricultural markets