The Ingabo Farmers’ Association is among the active participants at the 19th Rwanda Agricultural Show 2026, joining more than 600 exhibitors, thousands of farmers, agribusinesses, development partners, researchers, investors, and policymakers in showcasing innovative agricultural technologies and solutions that are driving the transformation of Rwanda’s agri-food systems.
Officially opened by the Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr. Telesphore Ndabamenye, on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at Mulindi Show Ground in Gasabo District, Kigali City, the 10-day exhibition is taking place from July 22–31 under the theme: “Accelerating Agri-Food Systems Transformation through Innovation and Strategic Partnerships.”
Addressing participants, the Minister called on farmers and all agricultural stakeholders to embrace innovative technologies and strengthen strategic partnerships to accelerate sustainable agricultural transformation across Rwanda.
He emphasized that agriculture and livestock remain the backbone of Rwanda’s economy, contributing about 20% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) while supporting nearly 70% of Rwanda’s processing industries.
Under the Government of Rwanda’s Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), the country aims to increase the production of priority crops by 50% while sustaining annual agricultural sector growth of more than 6%.
Speaking on global challenges, including climate change and rising agricultural input costs, Dr. Ndabamenye noted that boosting productivity requires continuous innovation and targeted government support.
“To support farmers through rising global prices, the Government has increased fertilizer subsidies and expanded access to affordable financing,” he said.
He further highlighted the Government’s concessional agricultural lending programme, under which interest rates on agricultural loans have been reduced to half of prevailing commercial bank rates to encourage greater investment in agriculture and livestock.
According to the Minister, more than RWF 55 billion in agricultural financing has been approved over the past three years, with RWF 30.9 billion already disbursed through 31 participating financial institutions.
NST2 also targets a significant increase in private sector investment in agriculture—from USD 2.2 billion in 2024 to USD 4.6 billion by 2029—while agricultural export earnings are expected to double from USD 893.16 million to USD 1.9 billion. The strategy also seeks to increase the share of commercial lending allocated to agriculture from 6% to at least 10%.
The Minister encouraged farmers to take full advantage of the innovations showcased at this year’s exhibition, including improved crop varieties, modern livestock production systems, agricultural mechanization, irrigation technologies, and post-harvest management solutions, and apply the knowledge gained to improve productivity during the upcoming 2027A agricultural season.
Organized annually by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), the Rwanda Agricultural Show serves as a premier platform for knowledge exchange, technology transfer, business networking, and investment promotion. It brings together key actors across the agricultural value chain to advance the modernization of Rwanda’s agri-food systems in line with the country’s Fifth Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture (PSTA5).
Since its inception in 2003, the Rwanda Agricultural Show has continued to strengthen partnerships, facilitate technology adoption, promote investment opportunities, and connect exhibitors with visitors, making it one of the country’s most important agricultural events.
Through its active participation in this year’s exhibition, the Ingabo Farmers’ Association is showcasing its contribution to improving agricultural productivity, promoting modern farming practices, strengthening farmer capacity, and supporting Rwanda’s vision of a resilient, market-oriented, and sustainable agri-food system.
