ICYEREKEZO To make commercial agriculture Profitable, Knowledge-intensive and Attractive for young people

Rwanda - despite remarkable progress… ...44.9% are below poverty line 68% of young women and 55% of young men (15–30 years old) farm family plots without income Formal employment options are limited for young people due to lack of education, skills and experience Strict regulations of informal sector enterprises further depress opportunities

Despite favourable growing conditions … … Rwanda is a net importer of tomatoes, watermelons and onions; despite 85% of households engaging in agriculture 52.7% of smallholders only produce food crops for their own subsistence

We believe The future of East African agriculture lies in the hands of young, educated, committed farmers who consider farming their career, business and a great investment opportunity Size does not matter – productivity does. Smallholder farmers with small plots of land can become sustainably profitable and boost economic growth in East African countries

Solution “Real transformation requires the coming together of people who understand local realities and community organising on the one hand with people who possess capital, business skills, and market access, on the other”. World Bank “Moving out of poverty”

Our vision – young Rwandan farmers become part of … …a growing global movement of people who are passionate about farming and are prosperous as a result of engaging in it They: Are well-educated & professionally accomplished Focus on the niche products Use innovative technologies Understand the importance of branding Embrace modernity

A unique strategy – Icyerekezo 2014-2016 We have two years’ experience offering agricultural training to farmers. Throughout we aimed to maximise three parameters: Value of the chosen crop Identify crops through extensive research that are profitable and in high market demand locally, regionally and globally Crop yields Maximise yields through training & education, given the small plots of land Quality of the produce Enhance quality through innovative technologies & commitment to profitability

Solution

Icyerekezo 2014 -2016 – Critical success factors Strong focus on individual net income and choice of the most profitable crops as opposed to focusing on unprofitable ‘staple’ crops such as beans, rice and maize Comprehensive and practical “Wraparound” approach which prioritises mindset change Decision-making based on strong field data

1) Choice of most profitable crops Average data 1 hectare of land Yields 3 tons 3000 pieces Revenue 480,000 RwF 2,400,000 RwF Profit 120,000 RwF 1,554,000 RwF

2) Wraparound approach Clear mutual commitment (MoU), volume and duration of support (3 growing seasons) Initial assistance with quality agronomic inputs Theoretical trainings, field demonstrations and follow-ups Young people are empowered in their own change – promising participants become participant-trainers and mobilise their peers Support with identifying buyers and markets linkages

3) Field data so far 1,079 unique participants made extra 82,968,860 RwF 4 participants made > 1,200,000 RwF 214 participants made > 100,000 RwF 30 commercial buyers purchase fresh produce from Icyerekezo young farmers and pay competitive prices

Identified challenges Despite the programme’s success, our experience has revealed a number of continuing challenges : Mindset of resignation and dependency Low yields and quality of produced crops Lack of accessible water for uphill irrigation Government prioritising staple crops Secure land availability Lack of effective collaboration among all development stakeholders

Where OpenIDEO comes in... Building on the success and learnings from previous experience we propose an innovative comprehensive approach in order to scale up impact and address challenges faced Your grant will support the establishment of the Rwamagana Centre with two main purposes: an entrepreneurial & knowledge resource and a farming vocational school

Entrepreneurial Resource and Knowledge Centre Establishment of “Entrepreneurial Resource and Knowledge Centre” enhances close collaboration and linkages for all relevant actors Training space, agri-inputs shop, and a modern demonstration farm Accessible for field problems to be brought directly to researchers for solutions Improving value chains of profitable horticultural crops Scientific results quickly transmitted to the field

Farming Vocational School First Rwandan government-recognised farming vocational school offering official certificates and supporting horticultural production Research-led practical trainings Innovative solutions, using technology to address productivity issues (especially irrigation) Business acumen and business development aftercare supporting aspiring entrepreneurs to create and establish agri-businesses Member of the Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (http://www.ryaf.rw/)

Thank you