Rwanda

Projects

AgroInnovation - Fostering resilient food systems and smallholder livelihoods

The project empowers start-ups and agribusinesses to develop and scale innovative, climate-friendly products and services that boost the productivity of Rwandan smallholder farmers, enhance the nutritional value of their produce, and expand their market access.

Promoting Market Oriented Skills Training and Employment Creation in the Great Lakes Region

The project supports the Governments of Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to improve access, quality and relevance of their respective Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) systems. This addresses the key development challenge of unemployment and underemployment brought about by the low quality of skills...

Supporting Dual Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Rwanda

The Dual TVET project, implemented by Rwanda TVET, aims to institutionalise and scale the dual model in Rwanda by strengthening the linkages between vocational training institutions and the labor market. Swisscontact provides targeted backstopping support to the Rwanda TVET Board on developing industry-driven training programs that enhance employability and economic growth.

Dual+ Rural -
Skills Development and Entrepreneurship for vulnerable rural Youth

The project develops localised apprenticeship models inspired by the dual-system approach, developed through a multi-stakeholder process. It will pilot these models with 500 vulnerable youth in Rwanda’s Western Province.

Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness Programme (CASA)

The project aims to involve smallholder farmer businesses sustainably in agricultural value chains, thereby improving their living conditions and economic situation. By building inclusive agricultural systems, smallholder farmers will have improved access to markets, information, and means of production. Additionally, the project emphasizes...

News

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05.05.2026

Kura Na AgTech 1.0: Strengthening Market‑Driven Solutions for Inclusive Agricultural Growth

Smallholder farmers are at the core of Rwanda’s agricultural economy, yet many continue to face challenges, including low farm productivity, limited access to markets, and inadequate adoption of appropriate technologies. Addressing these constraints requires market‑driven, locally agritech solutions that can scale sustainably and respond to farmers’ needs.

In response, Swisscontact, in partnership with Impact Hub Kigali, launched the Kura Na AgTech Acceleration Program, a yearly initiative program designed to identify, support, and accelerate high‑potential, impact‑driven agritech startups solutions, with a strong focus on improving livelihoods for smallholder farmers—particularly rural women and youth.

30.03.2026

Women in Rwanda’s Regenerative Agriculture

As the world marks the International Year of the Woman Farmer 2026, global attention is turning to the crucial yet often under‑recognized role of women across agricultural value chains.

From cultivating fields to sustaining household nutrition, women remain the backbone of food systems worldwide, but continue to face systemic barriers in accessing resources, skills, finance, and decision-making spaces.

Recent research conducted by our intern on the adoption of new agricultural technologies last year highlights these challenges. Among the women interviewed, 30% cited the high cost of farm equipment and tools, while an overwhelming 90% reported lacking the necessary skills to use new farm innovations and found them difficult to manage on their own. Limited access to training opportunities continues to deepen these gaps.

18.06.2025

In Kigali, a Forum Asks: Can Africa’s Skills Revolution Succeed Without the Private Sector?

In a dimly lit conference hall at the Kigali Marriott Hotel, murmurs of anticipation gave way to pointed discussion - not of if, but how African economies must reimagine education to meet the demands of a fast-shifting labour market.

On June 4th, Swisscontact Rwanda hosted a pivotal session at the Future Skills Forum 2025, gathering voices from across the continent under one guiding question: How relevant is our skills development if the private sector remains on the sidelines?

With over 80% of businesses in the region operating informally, the implications are stark. Jobs may exist, but not always the skills to fill them. And so, the session-

Country Director

Roman Troxler

APPROACH

Swisscontact works in Rwanda to reduce youth joblessness, increase incomes of agricultural households, and encourage entrepreneurship and innovation for a population living in rural and peri-urban surroundings. Swisscontact strengthens youth prospects of gainful employment by facilitating technical skills training, developing transition strategies for a more commercialized and climate-resilient agricultural sector, and fostering entrepreneurial thinking and action.

Swisscontact supports youth and the Rwandan education system to improve access, relevance, and quality of vocational training. The PROMOST project (2012-2023) applied short-term technical training and apprenticeships to enhance income generation and employment opportunities in the Western Province. Swisscontact combined theoretical learning with practical skills and piloted a dual training system, laying the groundwork for ongoing vocational training initiatives.

Swisscontact also works in Market Systems Development (MSD) by supporting enterprises and farmers to adopt new practices which finally lead to increased household incomes. This includes engagement with the Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) programme, which boosts investments in the agri-food sector and improves smallholder market access.

Additionally, Swisscontact’s AgroInnovation project supports start-ups and agribusinesses to prototype digital and technological innovations for resilient food systems and smallholder livelihoods, with a particular emphasis on women-led farming households. By promoting scalable and climate-smart business models, AgroInnovation aims to enhance agricultural productivity, market access, and resilience to climate shocks for smallholder farmers.

Swisscontact collaborates with local representatives within the business and entrepreneurship ecosystems, ensuring access to knowledge, project approaches, and resources that enhance economic and social significance while fostering entrepreneurship.

Promost Project - Project journey and key achievements 2012 -2020

The Great Lakes Region is one of the most densely populated and least urbanised areas on the African continent. In Rwanda, Burundi, and eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), subsistence agriculture remains the backbone of the economy and employs a majority of available labour. At the same time, governments are well aware that in the interest of economic growth, substantial investments in non-agricultural activities are needed to increase employment and incomes.

The governments of these three countries have made skills development their stated national priority and place special emphasis on vocational training and continued education. The creation of a demand-oriented, flexible, inclusive, and high-quality vocational education system is key to rapid economic growth, fair distribution of income, and the development of a healthy society.

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