The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) is set to construct 15 modern markets for small livestock across the country at the cost of Rwf1.2 billion, under the Project for Inclusive Small Livestock Markets (PRISM) program.

Deputy Director General for Animal Resources Development, Solange Uwituze, said that the markets will be constructed for pig, poultry, sheep, and goats under Project For Inclusive Small Livestock Markets (PRISM) programme.

"This investment was done to ensure basic infrastructure for animal holding which meet sanitary standards that are supportive of the meat industry,” she noted.

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The programme aims to reduce poverty by empowering poor rural men, women and youth to participate in the transformation of the Rwanda livestock sector and to enhance their resilience and improve food and nutrition security and incomes of poor rural households through better performance of the value chains.

The modern markets will be constructed in 15 districts across the northern, southern and western provinces of Rwanda.

The initiative will directly benefit 26,355 poor and food insecure rural households with low income.

At least 1, 530 youth in small livestock businesses will benefit.

Enhancing access to finance

Rwanda Agriculture and Resources and Development Board (RAB) said that it is engaging different partners to link small livestock farmers to markets ( buyers).

Speciose Mukarukaka, the Senior Access to Finance Specialist at Cordaid ,an NGO that was engaged by RAB to enhance access to finance for small livestock said that at least 220 Umurenge Savings and Credit Cooperatives (SACCOs) and five micro-finance institutions have to be trained to increase capacity in unlocking finance for farmers through special products.

At least $350,000 could be invested in enhancing access to finance for small livestock farmers.

Rwanda targets to double agriculture sector lending from 5.2 per cent of the total share of loans from financial institutions to 10.4 per cent by 2024.

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"We have to work with micro-finance institutions in 15 districts. The finance department looks at the value chain development for small livestock. We will also help the financial institutions design products suitable for small livestock farmers,” she said.

She said the package will also refinance SACCOs and other micro-finance institutions.

"The finance is needed in small livestock farming, value addition, agro-inputs such as animal feed production for small livestock, veterinary services, among others,” she noted.

In Rulindo district alone, for instance, she said at least 18 micro-finance institutions and insurance companies have been gathered to unlock finance for small livestock farmers.

"Farmers told us that animal feed is still expensive. Pig insemination is also still expensive. Finance will look at the whole value chain. The market for small livestock is still unstructured and farmers are selling at giveaway prices. There is no fixed price and therefore modern markets dedicated to these small livestock are highly needed. We need a competitive market,” Mukarukaka said.

Dieudonné Gatera, a representativeo of poultry farmers in Rulindo district, told The New Times that the markets dedicated to small livestock are timely.

"Each farmer was selling their small livestock at giveaway prices because the market is unstructured. The initiative will ease market linkage and access to finance to increase production,” he said.

He said that through increasing the uptake of livestock insurance, the access to finance could also increase.

"Banks should unlock finance for farmers and we expect support from partners. With the finance we can get animal feeds at affordable prices because they are still expensive,” he said.

He added that expected modern markets for small livestock should go along with access to finance and modern abattoirs.

For instance, at least 10 public pig slaughterhouses are being constructed across the country so as to ensure safety of pork consumers.

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"We had a market for cows but we need markets for small livestock in designated places. We were selling our small livestock to DR Congo and Kigali but we need markets at least in every sector where they can be collected. Animal feeds are also needed at affordable prices and this requires enhanced access to finance. For instance there is one village in Rulindo with 100,000 poultry and they need access to finance to feed them and increase production,” Gatera said.