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IFAD, Bank of Kigali and Aceli Africa Launch $21 Million Fund for Rwanda's Farmer Organizations
Kigali, Rwanda, 4 September 2026
The International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Bank of Kigali and Aceli Africa have signed an agreement launching the Farmers' Organizations Financing Programme – Rwanda (FOFP-R), a blended finance initiative mobilising USD 21 million. IFAD is contributing USD 12 million, comprising a USD 9 million loan, a USD 1.8 million risk-sharing grant and a USD 1.2 million technical assistance grant, while Bank of Kigali is providing USD 9 million in co-financing. The package was signed on the sidelines of the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026.
The programme targets roughly 215 farmers' organisations, with about 172 expected to receive direct financing, benefiting more than 35,000 smallholder farmers, particularly women and youth. IFAD estimates nearly 70 percent of farmer organisations' financing needs across Rwanda remain unmet, largely due to insufficient collateral, weak financial records and limited management capacity, factors that push lenders to treat agricultural credit as high risk.
Bank of Kigali CEO Dr. Diane Karusisi said the partnership pairs capital with technical support to strengthen governance and financial systems, calling it a model for reaching farmers who anchor Rwanda's economy. The initiative also benefited from a USD 6 million allocation via the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program's Business Investment Financing Track.
Source: IFAD; Bank of Kigali
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