A youth savings group in southern Rwanda has grown into a multi-million-franc agricultural enterprise, with 25 members cultivating chili peppers and French beans after investing their savings in farming.
Musabyimana Gloria , a member of Youth TUZAMURANE, says farming has really changed what the group can become, like it shows, collective savings, investment and some solid backing can help young people build businesses instead of just dreaming.
They are based in Rwabicuma Sector, Nyanza District, with 25 members, of whom 17 are young women. Together they cultivate chili peppers on about two hectares of land, which at the start sounded impossible, but anyway.
“Our journey began with small savings of between RWF 250 and RWF 1,000 per member. We soon realised that saving money alone would not, really not, transform our lives. So we decided to invest in agriculture,” Gloria said.
At first, the group rented land in an irrigated marshland, and they started with peas. Their first investment, RWF 322,000 actually, brought more than RWF 1.2 million. That result pushed members to expand their activities, without waiting too long.
Then came a real boost through the Smallholder Agriculture Intensification Project II, SAIP II, which was implemented by the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board’s Single Project Implementation Unit, RAB-SPIU.
The project ran a competition for youth groups, and Youth TUZAMURANE ended up among the winners. They received agricultural equipment worth RWF 2.2 million. That included bicycles, hoes, raincoats, watering cans, water pumps and other farming tools, all together, pretty much a starter kit for growth.
“That support changed everything. It gave us confidence and also the capacity to expand our farming business,” Gloria said.
Later on, they moved into specializing in chili pepper production, and they secured more help through the SAIP II Matching Grant programme. Under that setup, the project covered 60% of the investment, while the group handled the remaining 40%, so yeah, both sides still worked.
Gloria said since SAIP II support started, the value of their farming enterprise has grown a lot. It is now estimated at between RWF 8 million and RWF 15 million, compared with around RWF 3 million at the beginning.
“Our chili peppers are now reaching international markets, and we also grow French beans, which give another meaningful income stream. Agriculture has become a real business for us,” she added.
Gloria was speaking during a knowledge-sharing event that brought together farmers from Ruhango and Nyanza districts.
She said sharing experiences with others helped the group pick up fresh ideas, ideas that can improve production and also strengthen the business side of things.
“We learned that when farmers share knowledge, everyone benefits. We are leaving this event with new ideas that we are determined to implement,” Gloria said.
For her, youth have a key role to play in reshaping Rwanda’s agricultural sector, and in creating jobs at the same time. She encouraged other young people to see agriculture as a business, not only as food, or subsistence, or something small.
“To my fellow young people, I encourage you to believe in yourselves and embrace agriculture. It is full of opportunities for those who are willing to work hard, stay committed, and remain determined,” she said.
“Agriculture is not just farming. It is a business that can transform lives and contribute to our country’s development.”
The experience of Youth TUZAMURANE shows how organized youth groups can use saving , like agricultural investment and more targeted support, to grow farming enterprises. Their next hurdle will be to hold on to that growth, make production better, and still keep accessing markets for their crops, even when things get harder .