The government is looking to expand its share of the growing international market for organic agricultural products, but the high cost of certification remains a major obstacle for farmers, cooperatives and local producers seeking access to export markets. Organic certification is a key requirement for producers targeting markets such as Europe and the United States, where buyers demand proof that crops have been grown and processed according to recognised organic standards. For Dukunde Kawa Musasa, a coffee cooperative in Gakenke District, meeting those standards required three years of transition, repeated inspections and millions of francs in certification costs. The cooperative began the process of certifying its organic coffee for export in 2015 and obtained certification in 2018, giving it access to international buyers seeking certified organic coffee. “To get certified, you have to allow your soil or land to recover from the use of chemical pesticides and industrial fertilisers,” said Gilbert Muhire, who is in charge of operations at the cooperative. “It requires a transition period during which you use only organic fertilisers or manure. Samples of our soil and coffee were collected during the three years of transition and tested in laboratories to confirm that our coffee was organic.” ALSO READ: Why Rwanda seeks to increase organic fertiliser production Muhire said compliance extends throughout the production chain, from individual farmers and coffee washing stations to the final product prepared for export. Because internationally recognised certification services are largely provided by foreign firms, the cooperative works with a French certification company whose approval is recognised in its main European market. “There are many international firms that audit and certify organic products. We work with a French firm because we have a large market in Europe and its certification is recognised there,” Muhire said. The certification body conducts annual audits, collecting samples from coffee trees, cherries, soil and leaves and randomly inspecting cooperative members. About 15 per cent of the cooperative’s farmers are inspected each year, with different farmers selected during subsequent audits. Muhire said the initial three-year transition and certification process cost between Rwf15 million and Rwf20 million. The cooperative started with 688 farmers and has since grown to 1,118 members, meaning certification expenses have also increased. “Every year, it costs us between $5,000 and $8,000, mainly for logistics related to certification. This is in addition to a $3,000 annual subscription fee to the auditing firm,” he said. Despite the cost, Muhire said organic certification gives farmers access to premium markets where prices are higher. The cooperative initially exported about five containers of fully washed organic coffee and is now targeting 10 containers. “If a kilogramme of non-organic, fully washed coffee sells at $8, a kilogramme of organic coffee can sell for more than $10,” he said. Muhire said organic farming can also improve soil health and productivity and, in some cases, enable farmers to harvest coffee more frequently. ALSO READ: Is organic farming more profitable than ordinary practises? Certification beyond reach for many farmers Lise Chantal Dusabe, Chief Executive Officer of the Rwanda Organic Agricultural Movement (ROAM), said Rwanda has thousands of farmers engaged in organic agriculture, but certification costs continue to restrict access to international markets. ROAM is an umbrella organisation for farmers, cooperatives and institutions involved in organic agriculture, agro-ecology and related activities. “We are working with about 12,000 farmers in cooperatives and associations practising organic farming. They have markets in Europe and America,” Dusabe said. “However, certification is expensive because there are no local certification bodies providing all the services required for those markets. The services are imported.” She said international organic certification can cost around $10,000 and normally requires annual renewal through continued audits and inspections. “Smallholder farmers cannot afford that cost individually,” she said. This has pushed farmers towards cooperatives and associations where certification and training expenses can be shared. One certification system available to farmers in the region is Kilimohai, an organic certification mark used across East Africa to indicate that agricultural products meet the East African Organic Products Standards. Dusabe said ROAM helps farmers and cooperatives through training, assessments and market linkages to prepare them for certification. ALSO READ: How local start-up is leveraging tech to transform organic waste into fertiliser At least 17 cooperatives have obtained such certification, she said, while only a small number of individual farmer associations have managed to secure certificates. Others are undergoing coaching and preparation. ROAM has also trained 460 multipliers in organic and agro-ecological practices, who have in turn passed the knowledge to more than 5,000 farmers. Organic fertiliser producers face similar hurdles The push towards certified organic agriculture also depends on greater availability of certified organic fertilisers and other inputs. However, producers of those fertilisers also face costly testing and certification requirements. Dominique Xavio Imbabazi, founder of Golden Insect Ltd, which produces earthworm-based organic fertiliser, said field trials required to certify his products cost about $10,000. When he started producing organic fertiliser, there were no established standards specifically suited to some of his products. He began the S-Mark certification process in 2022. The fertiliser has to be tested over two cropping seasons at two sites. The estimated cost of the trials is $9,308, including $6,995 for land, seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, labour, transport and trial materials. Another $2,313 goes towards scientific supervision, data collection, monitoring, laboratory analysis, reporting and communication. Francis Nsanga, KHEA Project Manager at Biovision Africa Trust, said certification challenges are also being experienced elsewhere in the region, especially among small and medium-sized enterprises. He said financial constraints remain among the main reasons many enterprises struggle to obtain Certification. ALSO READ: 70% of waste to be converted into fertilizers Jean Claude Izamuhaye, head of the Crop Innovation and Technology Transfer Department at the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board, said certification costs for organic fertiliser producers could require broader policy discussion. Under the Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation, PSTA 5, Rwanda is seeking to substantially increase organic fertiliser production in the coming years. Production is projected to grow from 8.5 million tonnes in 2024/25 to 9.8 million tonnes in 2025/26, 10.3 million tonnes in 2026/27 and 11.4 million tonnes in 2027/28, before reaching 15.2 million tonnes by 2029. Agro-ecology strategy to support expansion The government is also developing an agro-ecology strategy expected to strengthen sustainable and organic farming practices across the country. Agro-ecology promotes agricultural production while protecting soil, water, plants, animals and the wider environment, while reducing dependence on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides. Izamuhaye said the challenge is to turn agro-ecology policies into practical solutions that farmers can apply. “Farmers’ organisations, cooperatives, women and youth should participate meaningfully in planning and implementing different innovations, but also in the learning process,” he said. He called for greater efforts to scale proven agro-ecological practices, strengthen farmer-centred research and extension services, develop viable markets and certification systems and mobilise sustainable financing. According to Izamuhaye, agro-ecology already fits within Rwanda’s broader agricultural policy direction, including productivity, climate resilience, ecosystem restoration, innovation and social inclusion. “We are facing a number of challenges, including soil degradation and pressure on natural resources. We need to move from ideas to practical solutions,” he said. “Our priority actions should connect sustainable production and healthy soils with inclusive markets and healthy diets. This needs to be supported by research, extension services, digital tools, finance and effective monitoring.”
