The Minister of Public Service and Labour, Christine Nkulikiyinka, has called on the youth with formal education to recognize and tap into the potential of agriculture to drive transformation.
"Young people are vital to the future of food security. Through innovation and entrepreneurship, they can make agriculture more efficient and sustainable, building on the success stories already evident around us," said Nkulikiyinka.
The Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (2018–2024) highlighted that formal education levels among farmers are generally low. According to the plan, 66% of agricultural operators have completed primary education, 26% have no formal education, 6.6% attended secondary school, and only 1.4% have tertiary education.
"The country is promoting youth involvement in the agriculture sector; they are encouraged to switch to higher value agricultural commodities" the minister said. "The country is transforming agriculture from a subsistence-based sector to a knowledge-driven one to boost the national economy and ensure food and nutrition security”.
Agriculture requires educated farmers to tackle modern challenges and foster innovation. They bring expertise in science, agribusiness, and sustainable practices and boost productivity. Educated farming population introduce advanced solutions like precision farming and climate-smart methods, drive research for new crops and techniques, influence policies, and lead sector growth.
They enhance market access, value chains, and profitability while addressing global issues like food security and climate change. Their expertise ensures agriculture becomes more sustainable, innovative, and future-ready.
Farmers need more than formal education. They need agronomic and business skills to optimize land use, improve cropping practices, and make informed investment decisions for higher production and profitability. To transition from low input crops to high-value ones like horticulture, farmers must develop the necessary skills. The agriculture sector's transformation into a modern, green, and value-added industry depends on equipping farmers with these essential skils.
Olivier Muvandimwe, a youth agri-preneur, emphasized that agriculture is a key economic sector in Rwanda that young graduates must embrace.
"There’s no denying that agriculture has a massive impact on all of our daily lives; it is vital to the economy, helping reduce poverty and improve GDP.
"Despite concerns over lack of capital, youth can still contribute by developing software for uneducated farmers, raising awareness, connecting small farmers to markets, offering consultancy, and participating in all aspects of the agricultural value chain,” Muvandimwe
Agriculture is a cornerstone of Rwanda's economy, playing a pivotal role in its socio-economic transformation, women's economic empowerment, and youth employment. According to the Fifth Population and Housing Census (2022), nearly 69% of Rwandan households are involved in agriculture, with approximately 400,000 people employed within agri-food systems.