Farmers from Rwanda attending an agricultural exhibition that is currently taking place in France are excited about the new business opportunities they will have as a result of the exhibition.
The annual exhibit is hosted every February/March at the Paris Expo - Porte de Versailles (also called Paris Expo) and has over 100 countries exhibiting agricultural goods, livestock, new technologies and opportunities to develop international relations.
In his visit to the Rwanda Pavilion, Ambassador François Nkulikiyimfura of Rwanda encouraged Rwandan business owners present at the fair to further develop relationships within the French market and committed to supporting Rwandan businesses who are searching for new opportunities outside Rwanda from the Rwandan embassy in France.
The Rwandan Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board's (NAEB) Head of Market Development, Janet Basiima, accompanied the ambassador along with various neighbouring exhibitors to exchange ideas and develop cooperation.
Ritha Umutoni, Rixu Rwanda Coffee's CEO and participant, stated that attending international trade shows helps promote Rwandan products and expand markets. "It's not just about meeting new buyers, we also meet executives from large importer/exporter companies, learn from the French market and come back with knowledge to improve our operations," she stated. Furthermore, Umutoni commended President Paul Kagame for his leadership in creating an environment that allows businesses from Rwanda to be globally successful.
Stephanie Kayirangwa, Fita Ltd.'s Director of Growing & Exporting Agriculture, including chile, praised the NAEB for opening doors and the Embassy for the ongoing support provided to them.
This was Rubayiza Aloys' first attendance at the fair as CEO of Rwanda Mountain Coffee and he commented on the strong reaction to Rwandan Coffee at this function. "Many people returned this year looking for Rwandan coffee and tea, which indicates the great response that Rwandan Coffee received and that it is now known around the world," he said.
Among 100 plus countries at the exhibition, Rwanda’s pavilion was the seventh. The pavilion included 15 companies that featured Rwandan coffee, tea, honey, and other agricultural products. Each year the exhibition is attended by 1,000 plus exhibitors and hundreds of thousands of visitors. In 2025 alone, there were 607,503 attendees during the nine days of the fair.
The exhibition also included 4,000+ livestock from cows to sheep to hogs to horses. The exports of agriculture out of Rwanda continue to grow and as of December 2025, the agricultural sector had generated $893.1 million in foreign earnings. Under its Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2), the Government of Rwanda hopes to increase agricultural export earnings to $1.5 billion per year by 2029.
The fair provides an opportunity for the Rwandan farmers attending to not only get exposure, it also allows them to expand their market base, develop partnerships, and have a sustainable economic impact.
Photo Credit: Compte 𝕏 officiel de l'Ambassade du #Rwanda en France