Agriculture Financing Surges as Rwanda Looks to Unlock More Investment
KIGALI, Rwanda — Financing for agriculture in Rwanda increased sharply in the first half of 2026, with new lending to the sector rising 177% to Rwf57 billion, as efforts intensify to improve access to finance for farmers and agribusinesses.
The figures from the National Bank of Rwanda (BNR) show that total financial-sector assets reached Rwf17.5 trillion (US$12.1 billion), up 23% year-on-year, while lending to the economy rose by 22% to about Rwf7 trillion.
Governor of the National Bank of Rwanda Soraya M. Hakuziyaremye said financial institutions must balance increased lending with prudent risk management.
“Financial institutions have to lend prudently and where the risk is low,” Hakuziyaremye said.
She also identified corporate governance, transparency and financial disclosure as challenges that need to be addressed to improve access to financing.
For AGRA Rwanda, the increase in agricultural lending comes as partnerships seek to close financing gaps and reduce the risks that can discourage financial institutions from lending to agriculture.
Jean Paul Ndagijimana, AGRA Rwanda Country Director, said the financing gap should be viewed as an opportunity to develop solutions that make agricultural businesses more attractive to financial institutions.
“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,” Ndagijimana said.
AGRA is working with financial institutions and other partners to expand digital financing, strengthen financial inclusion and support farmers and agribusinesses to become more investment-ready. Its partnership with Equity Bank Rwanda, for example, focuses on digital financing and business-development support for youth and women-led agribusinesses.
Ndagijimana has also identified unlocking finance and strengthening markets among AGRA Rwanda’s priorities, noting that agriculture carries risks that can be reduced through measures such as irrigation, agricultural insurance and better financing solutions.
The rise in agricultural lending comes as Rwanda seeks to finance not only production, but also inputs, aggregation, storage, processing, logistics and market access.
For AGRA, the focus is on de-risking agricultural investment, strengthening value chains and improving access to appropriate financial services, helping connect Rwanda’s growing financial resources with the farmers and agribusinesses driving the country’s food system.
