Rwanda hired agricultural experts to increase agricultural productivity.
On Thursday, March 26, 2026, a national-level meeting was held to exchange ideas on agricultural extension, aiming to provide a platform for stakeholders—including government institutions, the private sector, civil society, academics, farmers, and development partners—to better understand agricultural extension and jointly explore ways to effectively implement the national Agricultural Extension Strategy (CAES).
The President of the Rwanda Organization of Agricultural Advisory Service Providers (ROPAAS), Innocent Ntabana, stated that the organization fully supports government efforts to involve experts in assisting farmers.
Ntabana said:
“We align with government policy. The private sector must play a major role in agricultural extension because the government needs support.”
He explained that a new approach called Food Basket Sites requires private agricultural experts to provide farmers with quality seeds, fertilizers, knowledge, and reliable markets.
He added:
“Farming for the market empowers farmers. We want to build a system where advisory services come with real support.”
ROPAAS is introducing a new model where agricultural experts benefit from performance-based incentives by helping farmers increase production.
For example, if a farmer increases maize production from 3 tons to 6 tons, the advisor can be paid from the additional yield.
Currently, ROPAAS has about 350 members, most of whom are agricultural professionals committed to increasing farmers’ incomes. The organization will help establish professional standards and build capacity.
Dr. Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture (MINAGRI), welcomed the initiative.
Dr. Kamana said:
“We want independent agricultural experts to get closer to farmers and provide timely, high-quality services—something the government alone cannot effectively achieve.”
ROPAAS was established in June 2024. The government is supporting it and setting up food production sites across the country. Both leaders called on farmers and ROPAAS members to embrace this new public-private partnership to improve productivity and strengthen agriculture in Rwanda.
Rwanda aims to increase agricultural and livestock productivity by 50% between 2024 and 2029.
