‘PARTNERING IN PROGRESS’
STRATEGY MEETING FOR AGRI-PROFOCUS
AGRI-HUB RWANDA
Report
November, 2012
Introduction:
The Agri-ProFocus Agri-Hub in Rwanda is a network of professionals enhancing coherent and demand-driven
support to producer organizations and their business partners. The network has been built in the years 2009-2012
around a joint program to develop innovative ways to promote rural entrepreneurship, called IPER (Initiative pour
la Promotion de l’Entrepreneuriat Rural).
The thematic focus of the network is on rural finance, gender in value chains, farm-firm relations and capacity
development for producer organizations.
On 16th of November 2012, Agri-ProFocus Agri-Hub Rwanda organized a strategy meeting to discuss about tangible
activities to be carried out by the network in 2013.
The meeting was held at Top Tower Hotel where Agri-Hub members from Public and Private Institutions, local and
International NGOs as well as individual entrepreneurs; gathered to define how their network should stimulate
innovative solutions to various issues hampering farmer entrepreneurship and food security in Rwanda. A total of
54 participants attended this meeting.
Strategy meeting of Agri-ProFocus Agri-Hub Rwanda
Agenda of the day:
Time
9:30
9:35
9:45
10:00
10:15
10:45
11:15
11:45
1:00
2:00
2:45
3:30
16:30
Activity
Welcome note
Opening
Round
introduction
of
participants
+
expectations
What happened since Musanze (Last annual
meeting of Agri-Hub)
Presentation of APF Strategy: 2013-2016
Coffee break
Questions and answers
Reflection on the future of Agri-Hub Rwanda
Lunch
Choice of innovation communities
Activity planning for 2013
Presentation of Action plan
Closure + Cocktail
Facilitation
Esperance Mukarugwiza
Netlyn Bernard
Participants
Esperance Mukarugwiza
Jan Willem Eggink
Jan Willem Eggink + Participants
Jan Willem Eggink + Participants
Participants
Participants + Jan Willem Eggink
Participants
Minutes of the strategy meeting

The welcome note was given by Mrs. Esperance Mukarugwiza, the Country Coordinator of Agri-Hub
Rwanda. In her remarks, she thanked all the participants for the role they are playing in promoting farmer
entrepreneurship in their scope of activities, and for their commitment to Agri-Hub network proven by an
astonishing turnout for the same strategy meeting.
The Agri-Hub Coordinator used the same opportunity to introduce Ms. Netlyn Bernard, the Country
Program Manager for ICCO in Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo. ICCO is a member
of Agri-ProFocus coalition and acts as the Lead Organization for Agri-Hub Rwanda.
Finally, Ms. Bernard was invited to officially declare the meeting open.

In her remarks, Ms. Netlyn Bernard, alluded on her very first trip in the region earlier this year. “The first
country I visited in the Great Lakes Region was Rwanda…. I was impressed by the energy and the spirit of
local agricultural actors”, the Country Coordinator of ICCO noted. Particularly, Ms. Bernard told
participants how the enthusiasm of Agri-Hub Rwanda inspired her in taking the lead in recently created
Agri-Hubs in Burundi and DR Congo respectively.
While concluding her remarks, she expressed her excitements for participating in Agri-Hub Rwanda’s
strategy meeting by insuring all network members that ICCO will keep its support to the network not only
as the lead organization but also as a committed member of the coalition itself.

Introduction participants and what they expect from the meeting.

What happened since Musanze?
This session focused on activities carried out by the network since the last annual meeting of Agri-Hub
Rwanda in February 2012.
The Coordinator of Agri-Hub Rwanda informed the participants about a major conclusion that emerged
during the February meeting, which was to create one single Agri-Hub for the entire Great Lakes region.
However, after several reflections on that idea, instead, it was agreed to start different Agri-Hubs for each
country and have some common thematic issues to work as a team grouping all the three Agri-Hubs.
In addition, Mrs. Esperance Mukarugwiza, also gave an overview of what was done regarding the APF’s
knowledge agenda.
1.
Gender in Value Chain: under this agenda, a trajectory was initiated in partnership with KIT. Since
May, 15 coaches from local organizations under the supervision of a national head coach, took part in
the trajectory which saw all the organizations drafting gender action plans to be implemented in
agricultural clusters where they operate. Currently, these organizations are learning from each other
in regard to methods and implementation approaches vis-à-vis the gender action plans.
2.
Access to Finance: the major activity under the farm finance agenda is the “Finance Fair”. The last
edition of this event was held in Musanze at the same time as the annual meeting of Agri-Hub which
was also the first ever Finance fair to be organized in Rwanda. This event proved to be a success as
several deals between “agri-preneurs” and banks were made while the banks benefited by a
substantial increase in their customer portfolios. A similar event is being organized in Rusizi (Western
Province) and is scheduled on 4th-5th of December 2012. The planning is being spearheaded by AgriProFocus members (IFDC, SNV, Terrafina), AMIR (Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda),
One Acre Fund-Tubura, RAB (Rwanda Agriculture Board) and Rusizi district JADF (Joint Action for
Development Forum). Additionally, Insurance companies and BDF (Business Development Fund) have
also been invited to be part of the organizing committee.
3.
Organized Farmers as partners in business: Analyzing, facilitating and learning from firm-farmer
relations was one of the core activities of Agri-Hub Rwanda in 2012. Efforts in this theme focused on
‘the provision of economic services to members of producer organizations’. 5 initial case studies have
been conducted in cassava, maize, wheat, dairy and patchouli value chains. Wageningen UR Centre
for Development Innovation (WUR-CDI) and the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) facilitated the work on
this topic, in close collaboration with Agri-ProFocus head office and Agri-Hub Rwanda.

4.
IPER (Initiative pour la promotion de l’entreprenariat rural): This was a joint program initiated
by Dutch members of Agri-ProFocus working in value chain development in Rwanda. The focus of this
facility also known as “the basket fund” was to stimulate farmer entrepreneurship by co-financing
innovative ideas in agricultural clusters.
5.
The ning: Agri-Hub Rwanda has an online platform where its members can virtually interact,
exchange information, and make business deals. As for mid-November, 261 professionals affiliated to
52 organizations, are members of this platform. The platform is regularly updated and members are
using it the platform to share and access up-to-date information on agriculture sector in Rwanda and
beyond.
Agri-Pro Focus Strategy 2013-2016
This was a presentation by Jan Willem, the Network Facilitator from Agri-Pro Focus support office in
Arnhem, the Netherlands.
Agri-ProFocus at a glance:
Currently, the Agri-ProFocus coalition is made up of 36 members mainly from the Netherlands, namely:
Agri-ProFocus members come from public and private entities, knowledge institutions and the civil society.
These partners work as a team and collaborate towards a common vision of “seeing a world in which
farmers earn a decent living and contribute to sustainable food security”.
This is the same formula that is exported to overseas countries where Agri-ProFocus members are active.
So far 12 Agri-Hubs have been created across the African continent:
These agri-hubs work as market places where people share expertise and do business.
The Agri-ProFocus network shares knowledge and co-creation through network development and coordination,
business partnership brokering, being a platform for debate and learning, and formation of innovation
communities.
These activities contribute towards effective support systems such as improvements in government policies, more
and fair bank-farm deals, new and innovative services, improvement of farm-firm relations, as well as more
partnerships and investments.
The end objective of these initiatives is to have strong farmer entrepreneurs with a higher income, more
employment, increased competitiveness, and finally having balanced livelihoods.
This presentation ended with a series of questions and answers. The questions mainly focused on how
to this strategy of Agri-ProFocus can be adapted to specific Rwandan contexts while local actors
continue to learn from their peers in developed and developing countries. All questions were answered
at a satisfactory level.
Our future:
After answering all the questions raised, the next session was about defining what needs to be done in 2013 as far
as Agri-Hub Rwanda is concerned.
Jan Willem Eggink asked participants to form groups of 3 people who are not familiar to each other. These groups
were tasked to discuss what they want to benefit from the network and what they will be contributing.
After that exercise, the same groups presented the results of their discussions and provided clarifications where
necessary.
Results from group discussions
Results from group discussions were categorized into 3 types: those that are already being done by Agri-Hub but
need to be emphasized, new innovation activities, and finally new innovation communities formerly known as
thematic groups.
Ongoing activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Increase membership base;
Ning trainings,
Profiling organizations,
Information sharing,
Online market place,
Activities
1.
2.
3.
4.
Agribusiness innovation award,
Meet with agribusiness leaders (cocktails),
Sharing success stories,
Agricultural education event (AGVET),
Innovation communities
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Finance,
Farm – Firm,
Information Communication Technology and Media (market information & Extension services),
Post harvest and food,
Development of agricultural business clusters,
Soil conservation,
Gender in value chains.
The role of innovation communities is to find new like-minded people, join forces and collaborate together in the
network and around one common theme.
Annex 1. Innovation communities planning
Innovation
Community
1.
Soil
conservation
Activities in 2013
-
-
2.
Post harvest
&Food
-
3.
4.
5.
Development
of Agricultural
business
clusters
ICT& Media
Firm-Farm
relations
-
-
Community
puller
Telephone
E-mail
Organize events with local government authorities (they
need to be empowered on environmental need
assessment as they plan for community activities –
UMUGANDA)
Organize workshops with cooperative leaders.
(The objective is to create small committees for soil
conservation in each cooperative).
Faustin MULIGO
0788520125
muligof@yahoo.fr
Networking with existing post harvest firms through visits,
internet, etc.
SWOT analysis of the post harvest and food industry in
Rwanda,
Adopting
innovative
practices
(trainings
&
new
technologies)
Facilitate in networking of all partners and stakeholders in
different food and cash crop chains,
Facilitate extension services and capacity building for
producers
Innovation and fund release,
Access to profitable markets with stable linkages
(domestic & international)
Farmers’ exchange opportunities,
Participatory and continued action-research approach
(involvement of farmers in researches),
Encourage and strengthen specific clusters/platform on
local and national level. Eg: maize, cassava, rice,
potatoes, etc.
Stimulate innovative ideas (funding facility),
Facilitating market linkages,
Build capacities for rural entrepreneurs.
Virtual marketing to sell and buy goods,
Radio &TV shows and jingos
Video and CDs to disseminate agricultural practices
Workshop on market information involving agro-based
industries,
Event on ICT integration in agriculture,
Designing and developing agricultural software
Facilitate the improvement of producer vs buyer
relationships,
Stakeholder discussions at district level (ongoing for
coffee),
Celestin
NZARAMBA
0788305483
Nzaramba7@yahoo.fr
nzaramba@ipdrwanda.org
John
TWIRINGIYUMU
KIZA
O788828440
twijohn79@yahoo.fr
Sylvie UMUTESI
0785040300
Umutesi.sylvie@hotmail.com
Shaun SKELTON
0784193931
s.skelton@spark-online.org
6.
Finance
-
Research on new farm-firm relations,
Examples of successful agri-businesses.
-
Invite banks, MFIs, Insurance companies, networks, BDF,
BNR, AMIR to join the network,
Organize/participate in the finance fair in partnership with
other stakeholders,
Organizing presentations about
insurance/guarantors/finance,
Culture of saving through media,
-
7.
Gender in
Value chains
Design an award for innovative MFIs/banks/insurance
Sharing good stories,
Write-shop on success stories and publish the results,
National workshop on gender in value chain,
Organize a market place for gender in value chain.
Patrice BIRASA
0788340091
Patrick.birasa@terrafina.nl
Annex 2. List of participants
No.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31.
32.
33.
34.
35.
Mr./
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Name
Organisation
HATEGEKIMA Felicien
NZABARINDA Isaac
OUDES Anne
MUNYANEZ J.M. Noel
BAYINGANA Gaspard
KAMWANZI Moses
UMUTESI Sylvie
MULIGO Faustin
DUSANGEMUNGU Leonidas
NDAYISENGA Placide
NDABAMENYE Joseph
MUHIZI Leonard
GAHIGA GASHUMBA
SHYIRAKERA Vincent
YUMVABOSE Phenias
NTALE Alex
UWINTWALI Lilian
TWAHIRWA Tharcisse
MAKIURA Doga
NZARAMBA Celestin
BIGIRIMFURA Jean Paul
RUZIGA Emmanuel
NDAGIJIMANA Narcisse
SHAUN Skelton
KANTARAMA Cesarie
NDAYISABA Anysia
HODARI Joseph
Conner Wear
NGAMIJE Delphin
BIZIMANA Justin
LE GUEVEL Syvlie
LUYIGA Fiona
KABAGAMBE Wilson
KAMPAYANA J. De Dieu
MUPENZI Gerard
UCOOPAMU
UCOOPAMU
INADES
FOR-BES LTD.
R.G.C.C.
Gardens-For-Health
M-AHWII LTD.
SODECO
RAB
RAB
UNICOOPAGI
ARDI
NDFFR
PUM
Researcher
Chamber of ICT
M-AHWII LTD.
KOTUKA
M-AHWII LTD.
AIPD
COOPEDU-IMF
NAEB
Farmers’ Chamber
SPARK
MBAKUNGAHAZE
M-AHWII LTD.
Nyanza Dairy Plant
Gardens-For-Health
DUTERIMBERE-IMF
Faida Green Farming
Consultant
Vision Finance
AEE-Rwanda
MICRO ENSURE
Centre IWACU
Type of
organisation
Producer Org
Producer Org
NGO
Company
Company
NGO
Company
NGO
Public
Public
Producer Org
NGO
Producer Org
BDS
Private
Public
Company
Producer Org
Company
Company
Company
Public
Public
BDS
Producer Org
Company
Company
NGO
Company
Company
Private
Company
NGO
NGO
NGO
Location
E-mail
North
North
International
North
National
Kigali
National
National
National
National
South
National
National
International
National
National
National
Kigali
International
South
National
National
National
International
South
National
National
Kigali
National
East
International
International
National
International
National
ucoopamuunion@yahoo.fr
Isaac-nzabarinda@yahoo.com
anneoudes@gmail.com
Munyajn2007@yahoo.com
brigasp@yahoo.fr
moses@gardensforhealth.org
Umutesi.sylvie20@hotmail.com
Muligof@yahoo.fr
leonidasdusenge@yahoo.com
Placidendayisenga@gmail.com
jndabamenye@yahoo.fr
vmuhizi@yahoo.fr
ggahiga@yahoo.com
vincemuse@yahoo.com
yumphem@yahoo.fr
ntale@ictchamber.org.rw
Lilian.herone@hotmail.com
Kotuka2020@yahoo.com
Jonna11joe11@gmail.com
Nzaramba7@yahoo.fr
bugirimfura@coopedu.rw
Romeo.mugabo@gmail.com
nezanar@gmail.com
s.skeleton@spark-online.org
Cesakan2007@yahoo.fr
Richany12@gmail.com
Jhodari2002@yahoo.co.uk
connerwear@gmal.com
dg@duterimbereimf.co.com
jbizimana@gmail.com
Sylvie.leguevel@gmail.com
fluyiga@vfcrwanda.com
wkabagambe@ae.rwanda.org
Jean.kampayana@microensure.com
centreiwacu@gmail.com
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.
49.
50.
51.
52.
53.
54.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Mr.
Ms.
Mr.
Ms.
NSENGIYUMVA Camille
KAGENZA J.Marie Vianney
SEMAKUZA Aloys
NYANDWI Eugene
MAJYAMBERE Anatole
NDAVI Muia
N. KAMINEZA M. Chantal
RUKUNDO Roger
MUTUYIMANA Jean Claude
MUKAMANA Laurance
KAGARAMA John
SIMPUNGA Innocent
TWIRIMGIYUMUKIZA John
ERIK Van Wavelen
BIRASA Patrick
MURASIRA Pascal
MUKARUGWIZA Esperance
EGGINK Jan Willem
BERNARD Netlyn
FECOPPORWA
MINAGRI
BAIR
DUHAMIC-ADRI
KIST
TECHNO SERVE
UNICOAPIGI
CARITAS RWANDA
AJEMAC
IFDC
BDF
UGAMA/CSC
IBAKWE
SNV
Terrafina
APF Agri-Hub
APF Agri-Hub
Agri-Pro Focus
ICCO
Producer Org
Public
NGO
NGO
Learning Inst.
NGO
Producer Org
NGO
NGO
NGO
BDS
NGO
NGO
NGO
NGO
Network
Network
Network
NGO
National
National
West
National
National
International
West
International
West
International
National
National
National
International
International
International
International
International
International
camillensengy@gmail.com
kagenzabugingo@yahoo.com
sealoys@yahoo.fr
Nyandwi.eugene@duhamic.org.rw
Anatolemajyambere@yahoo.fr
nmuia@tns.org
unicoapigi@yahoo.fr
rrukundo@caritasrwanda.org
Ajemac1@yahoo.fr
laurance@ifdc.org
j.kagarama@bdf.rw
simpungai@yahoo.fr
Twijohn79@yahoo.fr
evanwaveren@snvworld.org
Patrick.birasa@terrafina.nl
Pmurasira.agrihub@gmail.com
Emukarugwiza.agrihub@gmail.com
Jweggink@agri-profocus.nl
Netlyn.bernard@iccokia.org