When Thierry Niyigena joined One Acre Fund as a professional intern two years ago, he expected to gain practical experience required to complete his studies at the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA).

The six-month internship, however, became a turning point that helped him solve farmers’ challenges and secure a permanent role at the agricultural organisation.

The 26-year-old, who specialised in crop production systems, joined One Acre Fund, a social enterprise that provides smallholder farmers in East Africa with financing and agricultural training services.

"I chose One Acre Fund because it had something aligned with what I studied because I did my specialisation in crop production systems,” Niyigena said.

"When I got there, I felt shy because I was an intern, but the other workers treated me as an employee, and not like an intern. The integration was not difficult because of the work environment,” he added.

Niyigena shared his experience on Friday, July 17, 2026, during the fourth RICA Job Fair in Kigali, which brought together students, employers and partners to strengthen links between academia and industry.

The experience of graduates like Niyigena reflects RICA’s focus on practical training and industry engagement. According to data from RICA, 86 per cent of graduates from its first three cohorts are either employed, self-employed, undertaking professional internships or pursuing master’s studies.

For RICA graduates, the professional internship is an opportunity to apply classroom knowledge to real agricultural challenges and demonstrate their ability to develop practical solutions.

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During his internship at One Acre Fund, Niyigena investigated declining demand for vegetable seeds supplied by the organisation. Through farmer consultations and research, he found that farmers wanted hybrid seed varieties instead of Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV) seeds.

"Farmers complained that One Acre Fund was producing Open-Pollinated Variety (OPV) seed varieties, while they wanted hybrid ones. That was one of the reasons the number of farmers who preferred One Acre Fund was decreasing. I worked on the report and submitted it to the team, and a solution was found,” he said.

His capstone project focused on another challenge affecting vegetable farmers: post-harvest losses.

To help farmers preserve vegetables after missing market days, Niyigena developed a zero-energy cooling chamber using charcoal and water, allowing vegetables to remain fresh for up to 10 days without electricity.

"I was thinking, can there be a solution that can help the farmer if they miss one market day? At least they can store their products somewhere and get a chance to attend the next market with fresh vegetables without them being spoiled,” he explained.

The project impressed his supervisors and later helped him secure employment at One Acre Fund.

"I presented that project because I was a junior and it was the only project I had worked on. Luckily, it was successful. I presented it, and the panel was happy with the project and how I answered what they asked,” he said.

Today, Niyigena works as a crop varieties researcher at One Acre Fund, where he studies farmers’ needs, tests crop varieties and recommends seeds that can improve productivity.

"If a farmer has a certain seed variety that produces three tonnes per hectare, and we come up with another variety that can produce five tonnes under the same conditions, the farmer benefits from two extra tonnes per hectare,” he said.

He credits RICA’s practical approach for preparing him for professional work.

"At RICA, we did not only study research methods. We went to the field, planted different varieties ourselves, collected data day after day until harvesting, analysed it and presented relevant projects. That transitioned from academics into professional work,” he said.

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Practical learning shaping careers

Niyigena is among RICA graduates whose practical training has helped them easily transition into the agriculture sector.

Divine Chloe Mukamisha, 22, who specialised in food processing systems, completed her internship at Griffith Foods, where she gained experience in product development and food solutions.

She said RICA’s hands-on approach helped her develop skills beyond classroom learning.

"My journey at RICA was interesting. It was a new journey for me to study agriculture, to go into the field, to milk cows and do agricultural practices. During the three years, I learned a lot and acquired different skills and hands-on experiences,” she said.

Her capstone project involved developing fortified stew seasonings containing iron, zinc, vitamin B12 and vitamin A to help address micronutrient deficiencies.

"People consume stew every day. Rwanda’s cuisine is not used to eating dry food. So, I wanted to see how we can use something people consume every day to deliver micronutrients that they lack,” she said.

Mukamisha said RICA’s approach ensured students apply what they learn.

"At RICA, we are not given theory only. We work on what we study. If you are taught something, you apply it,” she said.

Industry values RICA graduates

Employers say RICA graduates stand out because of their ability to combine technical knowledge with practical skills and help craft solutions to existing problems.

Angelique Kibango, Country Director of Ripple Effect Rwanda, said the organisation has hired four former RICA students because of their ability to work directly with farmers.

"They are well knowledgeable in terms of conservation agriculture. They are well knowledgeable in terms of animal production and technique. So, when we host them on the field, we use them to train farmers. And that is specifically the uniqueness of RICA’s intervention,” she said.

She added that practical skills are essential in improving agricultural productivity.

"The business we are doing, we want to see farmers improve productivity. And for them, because the majority of them never went to school, they want to do practice. So, RICA students know how to interact with farmers in terms of practice. That is one of the solutions that can help farmers improve productivity,” she said.

Jean-Claude Kayisinga, Deputy Chancellor in charge of Institutional Development at RICA, said partnerships with industry help students gain exposure to real agricultural systems.

"Today's Job Fair builds on that partnership. It provides an opportunity for you to interact directly with our graduating class, understand their capabilities, and identify potential talent for your organisations,” he told participants.

"Equally, it gives our students the opportunity to learn from industry leaders, understand employer expectations, expand their professional networks, and explore exciting career opportunities,” he added.

Kayisinga said RICA is expanding its training model, with its Bachelor of Science programme set to transition from three years to four years beginning next academic year to provide students with deeper academic and practical preparation.

Organised annually, the RICA Job Fair is part of the Institute’s career development efforts. It connects final-year students with key players in the agriculture sector. Thus, they meet potential employers, build professional networks, and explore career opportunities that match their interests and training.

For employers and partners, the event provides access to talented, well-trained graduates who are ready to contribute to the growth of their organisations and the transformation of Rwanda’s agriculture sector.