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Afri-Farmers Market, a Rwanda youth-led agriculture value chain enterprise has launched another selling point in Kigali with plans to increase farmers market access, better prices and access to fresh foods.
Afri-Farmers Market, Rwanda’s social enterprise and e-commerce platform that provides stable markets to smallholder farmers through its e-commerce and capacity building for sustainable agriculture.
The enterprise successful opened it’s second Afri-Farmers Market fresh food store and collection center in Kibagabaga, in Kigali city (adding to one in Kimironko- also in Kigali) to enable consumers get fresh farm-to-table produce directly from the two stores or by ordering online for delivery.
The Kibagabaga store was officially opened by officials of the Ministry of Trade (MINICOM) and development partners in Agriculture on August 24, 2023.
The startup enterprise was initiated during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 to address demand for door step deliveries of farm foods as many consumers and famers were not able to move freely.
The enterprise managed to secure funding as one of the beneficiaries of the YouthConnekt Africa and Hanga pitch awards programs- some of Rwanda’s major youth economic empowerment annual programs aimed at creating youth economic leadership and employment.
Acting as a bridge between farmers and the market and promoting the farm-to-table model, today, Afri-Farmers has since 2020 works with over 7,000 farmers in 15 districts of Rwanda, with at least 5,000 online orders per month.
Norman Mugisha, Founder and CEO of Afri-Farmers Market says that they help farmers to acquire modern farming practices, propagate and transport produce to the direct market which reduces 70% of on-farm produce wastage thus increasing their household income by 50%.
The business which started during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020 says that after three years of operation they plan to open more stores to increase the farmers’ market access and earn more than the current 30% additional price that company offers on farmer’s products.
“In the next few years we plan to open five more branches in Kigali and three stores in other major cities in Rwanda, where there is an assured market for farmer’s produce,” Mugisha said.
Mugisha also revealed that they plan (if viable) to expand agro e-commerce business to other African countries- Burundi, DRC, Tanzania, Uganda, Malawi, and Zimbabwe tapping into the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement.
Afri-Farmers Market says that their business model is different from the usual horticulture market places as it guarantees quality of farm produce from planting to harvest, aggregation (cleaning and cooling) and delivery to the market.
For example, this model makes sure the ordered fruits are of high quality for consumers and this guarantees a high selling price which in term benefits the farmers when we buy and sell off their produce.
“We go beyond providing farmers with good prices and direct market access to provide good agricultural practices advice to those farmers to ensure the sustainable production,” Mugisha said.
Farmers working directly with Afri-Farmers market say that their struggles and losses have reduced and their market access remains assured even when there are challenges with the climate change related issues.
“Our produce is collected from the farm and I no longer worry about falling off the bicycle while transporting my produce. This helps me to save and so far I own seven goats, with plans to buy a piece of land for grazing,” said Augustin Irakoze, a farmer in Rwamagana district.
MINICOM officials who officiated the launch ceremony said it is banking on Rwandan youth to invest in new ICT based innovations to promote agriculture value chains, farmers access to markets and promote the ongoing campaign to build an online platform.
Jean premier Bienvenue Rukundo, the E-commerce Specialist at the Ministry of Trade and Industry said that currently there are around 60 online businesses using ICT models to sell different commodities but this needs to be increased.
This is apparently part of the ministry’s plan to increase online (e-commerce) business following the launch of a new e-platform for made-in-Rwanda products on which currently 400 products have been registered.
Agriculture economist at and former State Minister of Agriculture, Tony Nsanganira, now a Strategic Advisor at the Tony Blair Institute for Global Change said they will support examples such as Afri-Farmers Market which are crucial in encouraging youth innovation play a big role in improving agriculture value chains using technology to improve livelihoods of farmers.
