The Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), convened a high-level national stakeholders’ engagement meeting aimed at ensuring timely and efficient delivery of seeds and fertilizers for the 2026A agricultural season.

Held on 11^th August, 2025 at Mulindi in Gasabo District, the meeting brought together over 500 participants from across the country, including agro-dealers, district agronomists, RAB station managers, seed and fertilizer suppliers, and representatives from key partner institutions such as APTC, BK TechHouse, and the Rwanda Inspectorate, Competition and Consumer Protection Authority (RICA).

The 2026A season, running from September to December, will be marked by the roll-out of the Food Basket Sites (FOBASI) approach and customized extension services tailored to crop value chains and farmer categories. The initiative aims to optimize yields through site-specific agronomic practices, capacity building, and stronger farmer engagement.

Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, the Minister of State for the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, underscored the need for intensified efforts to close the gap between current and potential productivity.

“We want to focus on consolidated sites to raise yields per hectare. This means closer engagement with farmers, better extension services, and stronger market linkages,” Ndabamenye said.

He emphasized the urgency of delivering agricultural inputs before the onset of rains, targeting August 30, 2025, as the deadline for ensuring that all farmers are equipped with seeds and fertilizers in time for planting.

For the 2026A season, Rwanda aims to achieve a 3% increase in cultivated land compared to the previous season, while boosting productivity for key crops including maize, beans, Irish potatoes, cassava, and wheat. 

In her presentation, Dr. Florence Uwamahoro, Deputy Director General for Agriculture Development for RAB noted that crop productivity trends over the past decade (2014–2024) indicate that the National Strategy for Transformation (NST 2) target of increasing productivity by 50% for priority crops cannot be achieved without significant changes to current practices. 

The data from RAB show that the average maize production increased from 1.5 tonnes in 2017 to 2 tonnes per hectare (ha) in 2024, aligns with NST2 and the fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5), target is 2.7 tonnes per ha, an increase of 35 per cent compared to the 2024 production.

Under the NST2 and PSTA5, Rice average production will increase from 4.1 tonnes per ha in 2024 to 5.4 tonnes. For Irish potatoes, target is to increase average production from 8.5 tonnes per ha in 2024, to 14.7tones an increase of 79 per cent while Soya beans will rise from 0.6 tonnes per ha in 2024, to 1.4 tonnes. 

This goal will be driven by ensuring farmers receive quality seeds and mineral fertilizers on time, making full use of all available arable land, and enhancing yields through consolidated farming sites supported by tailored extension services. Closer collaboration between public institutions and private sector actors in the input value chain will further strengthen the delivery and effectiveness of these efforts.

The FOBASI model will cover 13,379 mapped sites nationwide, totaling 495,155 hectares, with site-based agronomists deployed to oversee farmer mobilization and agronomic supervision.

RAB indicated that for 2026A, the government targets 63,750 tonnes of fertilizer. As of August 7^th, over 25,900 tonnes were already in storage, with another 46,300 tonnes in transit.

Honorable Minister of State, Dr. Ndabamenye reminded the farmers that the farm inputs are subsidized by the government that is why they must be used effectively to achieve higher yields and avoid waste.

At least two million farmers are expected to register for subsidized inputs through the Smart Nkunganire Sytem (SNS). Over one million had registered by early August 2025. Farmers are urged to complete registration by August 20, and the distribution of seeds and fertilizers should be completed by 30^th August 2025 to avoid delays.

With a collective pledge to accelerate preparations, monitor input availability, and enhance service delivery, Rwanda’s agricultural sector continues to make strides toward national food security and the productivity targets outlined in NST2 and PSTA5 frameworks.

END.