Rwanda has been commended by the Africa Fertilizer Industrial Development Association (AFIDA) for its efforts to improve soil health, promote the use of fertiliser subsidies and encourage sustainable fertiliser use through greater collaboration between the government and the private sector.

The observation was made on Wednesday, September 2 during an Africa Food Systems Forum side event on private-sector investment in fertiliser and soil health.

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Innocent Okuku, Director General of AFIDA, said Rwanda provides an important example of how governments and private-sector companies can work together to improve farmers’ access to appropriate agricultural inputs.

"Rwanda has introduced improved fertiliser blends for farmers,” Okuku said, for example, explaining that customised products can help address nutrient deficiencies and improve agricultural production.

Rwanda has developed formulas tailored to different crops and soil types across the country. Previous fertiliser products were not specifically adapted to Rwandan soils or tailored to individual crops.

The "Made in Rwanda” fertiliser blends are aimed at enhancing soil health and agricultural productivity.

Developed in close collaboration with the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) through the Rwanda Soil Information System (RwaSIS), these innovative products reflect a science-based, data-driven approach to fertiliser formulation, precisely tailored to Rwanda’s diverse soils and crop needs.

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Okuku said that, across Africa, a significant proportion of agricultural soils are degraded, making soil restoration an important part of efforts to increase productivity.

He said fertiliser companies in Rwanda are increasingly looking beyond the supply of conventional mineral fertilisers by also providing soil-health products such as lime and organic fertilisers.

"Fertiliser is neither inherently good nor bad. It can be beneficial if it is used correctly, but it can have negative effects if it is misused,” he said.

Winnie Nganga, Director of Government Relations and Public Affairs for Africa at Yara International, a fertiliser company specialising in crop nutrition, industrial nitrogen products, and ammonia, said the company has launched an initiative to boost the Rwanda Food Basket Sites Initiative.

The government is prioritising food basket sites (FoBaSi) as part of its efforts to increase agricultural output.

RAB has mapped 13,379 sites across the country, covering more than 495,000 hectares. Each site has undergone assessment, and agronomists have been assigned to guide farmers on improving productivity.

"We have identified several Food Basket Sites where we hope to work with the government to provide appropriate fertiliser solutions. We conduct soil testing to develop fertiliser products adapted to local conditions. We have developed several products specifically for Rwanda’s soils. We provide customised solutions based on soil and crop requirements,” she said.

The firm, she said, currently supplies Rwanda from its blending facility in Tanzania but has longer-term growth plans for Rwanda.

Fertiliser policies and subsidy programmes

Okuku said there is a need to change some subsidy programmes that discourage private-sector participation in fertiliser supply in some countries.

"In some countries, private-sector companies supply subsidised fertiliser to farmers but do not get paid for one or two years. If you use your own money to purchase and supply a product and then do not get paid, your business can collapse. So, when the government comes the following year and says it wants to subsidise fertilisers again, companies become reluctant to participate because they do not want to risk losing more money,” he said.

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Rwanda is set to spend more than Rwf64 billion subsidising fertilisers in the 2026/27 financial year as it shields farmers from rising global prices while pursuing higher agricultural productivity.

The allocation, up from just over Rwf39 billion a year earlier, comes after the government increased subsidies for some of the country’s most widely used fertilisers, ensuring farmers continue to buy them below market prices despite sharp increases in international costs.

The Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Telesphore Ndabamenye, said the government increased the subsidy on urea from 30% to 45% after international prices climbed by about 60%, largely due to supply-chain disruptions and higher transport costs.

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