AGRA, Equity Bank Rwanda Partner to Expand Digital Financing for Youth and Women Agripreneurs

The collaboration will support young entrepreneurs and women operating in key agricultural value chains, including horticulture, poultry, maize, beans, Irish potatoes, and avocados, through tailored financial products, digital wallets, financial literacy training, mentorship, and business advisory services.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, AGRA Rwanda Country Director Jean Paul Ndagijimana said the partnership represents a shared commitment to transforming agriculture by empowering young people and women who remain underserved by formal financial institutions.

“This partnership is about unlocking opportunities for young people, especially young women, who are driving the future of Rwanda’s agriculture sector. We see the existing financing gap not as a barrier, but as an opportunity to innovate and build an ecosystem that enables youth and women to thrive as agribusiness entrepreneurs,” he said.

Ndagijimana noted that AGRA is committed to helping young entrepreneurs become investment-ready through coaching, mentorship, and business support, enabling them to build sustainable enterprises that create jobs and wealth.

Equity Bank Rwanda Managing Director Hannington Namara said the partnership aligns with the bank’s mission of transforming lives through inclusive financial services.

“Our goal is not simply to provide money. We want to equip entrepreneurs with financial education, business management skills, mentorship, and digital tools that enable them to grow sustainable businesses. When young people and women succeed, they create jobs, build wealth, and transform communities,” Namara said.

He added that technology presents a unique opportunity to modernize agriculture and make it more attractive and profitable for young people.

“For a long time, agriculture was viewed as a sector of survival. Today, technology gives us an opportunity to accelerate transformation and make agriculture more productive, profitable, and attractive to young people. This partnership is about creating that future together.”

The partnership combines AGRA’s investment-readiness support with Equity Bank Rwanda’s digital financing ecosystem to unlock sustainable financing, strengthen climate resilience, and accelerate inclusive growth in Rwanda’s agri-food systems.

The initiative responds to a significant financing challenge in the sector. Although agriculture contributes about 21 percent of Rwanda’s GDP and supports more than 65 percent of livelihoods, it receives only 6 percent of total commercial bank lending. Meanwhile, nearly 67 percent of Rwanda’s population is under the age of 30, yet only 18 percent of youth entrepreneurs and 15 percent of women entrepreneurs are formally served by banks.

Through this partnership, AGRA and Equity Bank Rwanda aim to bridge this gap and help transform agriculture into a stronger engine of job creation, economic growth, and prosperity.