Women account for the majority of farmers in Rwanda, but many struggle to make a decent living from agriculture due to limited access to land, affordable finance, technology and markets, stakeholders have said.

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Speaking at the launch of the inaugural Africa Women Smallholder Farmers Forum (AWSFF) in Kigali on Thursday, November 12, participants called for fairer agricultural markets, better financing arrangements and more opportunities for women to grow their farming businesses.

Women account for 57.1 per cent of farmers in Rwanda, according to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda’s 2024 Agricultural Household Survey.

Mireille Batamuliza, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Gender and Family Promotion (MIGEPROF), said policies and existing systems continue to limit women’s access to productive resources.

"Recognising women’s contribution to agriculture is not enough. We must change the systems and policies that hold them back,” she said.

Batamuliza urged financial institutions, the private sector, development partners, researchers and farmers’ organisations to involve women in decisions about agricultural policies, programmes and investments.

She said the 2026 International Year of the Woman Farmer should focus on recognising women’s contribution to agriculture, increasing their participation in leadership and decision-making, and ensuring they have fair access to resources and opportunities.

"We need to move from commitment to action so that rural women are not only beneficiaries but decision-makers, investors and equal partners in shaping Africa’s future,” she stated.

Esther Dusabe, founder of Safe Foods Africa Initiative and convener of the Africa Women Smallholder Farmers Forum said the platform was established to help women turn agricultural production into profitable businesses and achieve economic independence.

"Their contribution does not always translate into ownership, income, wealth creation or economic power. This is inequality we must collectively address,” she said.

Dusabe said this would require investment in climate-resilient technologies, mechanisation, sustainable finance and stronger links between farmers and agricultural markets.

She said the initiative hopes to grow into a continental platform covering women’s participation in agricultural production, processing, manufacturing, finance, leadership and regional and global trade.

"Women farmers should not be seen merely as beneficiaries but as economic partners, entrepreneurs and drivers of Africa’s agricultural transformation,” she said.

Making small farms more productive

Geoffrey Kayonde, Country Director of the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) Rwanda, said smallholder farmers need to make better use of their limited land to increase production and earnings.

He proposed combining crop and livestock farming with beekeeping and fish farming, alongside composting, to diversify agricultural activities.

In Rwanda, 77.6 per cent of farming households cultivate less than half a hectare, while women account for 57 per cent of farmers.

Kayonde added that agricultural training should take place where farmers work rather than being confined to classrooms.

"Women who feed Africa deserve recognition and a place in discussions, partnerships, investments and decisions that shape the continent’s agricultural future,” he said.

Support women farmers need

Chantal Kamashazi, founder and CEO of Green Agribusiness Network in Africa and HEZA Ltd (GANA HEZA), explained that some women incur losses because they lack the knowledge to make informed decisions about the inputs their farms require.

"Some women are not well equipped with the knowledge required to manage their farming activities,” she said.

Kamashazi suggested providing farmers with loans to grow different crops, including fruits and vegetables, with repayment schedules that match farming seasons. She also recommended fair prices for their produce, noting that buyers often ignore production costs.

"Smallholder farmers invest a lot of time, effort and money in their farms, but buyers often fail to take these costs into account when setting prices for their produce.”

Improving access to markets, finance

Amos Akandwanaho Seromba, an AfCFTA expert, said the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) can help women farmers access markets across the continent through its Protocol on Women and Youth in Trade, adopted in 2024.

However, he said smallholder farmers in rural areas still face difficulties benefiting from the agreement.

"We still have a big task to make sure this initiative goes beyond expectations and reaches the small-scale farmer in Nyamagabe, Nyamasheke and other parts of the region,” he said.

Seromba said financial institutions should do more to ensure smallholder farmers can access the funds they say are available. While banks report having money to lend, farmers continue to cite access to finance as one of their biggest challenges.

He said institutions supporting women-led agribusinesses should work together to make financing more accessible.

Justus Mugabo, Food Systems and Nutrition Specialist at Gardens for Health International (GHI), said farmers could increase production on small plots by adopting more efficient farming methods and reducing post-harvest losses.

He recommended vertical farming, integrated zero-waste farming and rainwater harvesting systems to help farmers maintain production during dry periods.

He said investors should consider investing in systems to collect and store rainwater during the rainy season for use in irrigation during the dry season.

Mugabo added that reducing interest rates and easing collateral requirements would make it easier for women farmers to secure agricultural loans.