The Impact of the CASA Programme on Rwanda’s Agribusiness Sector
The Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness (CASA) Programme in Rwanda has significantly transformed the country’s agribusiness landscape, empowering small and medium enterprises to grow sustainably while showcasing the potential for investment in agriculture. One of its most notable success stories is Platinum Agribusiness Ltd (PA), led by Managing Director Florence Batoni. Since 2023, PA has benefited from CASA’s support, which has helped it transition from subsistence farming to a modern agribusiness.
Growth and Employment at Platinum Agribusiness
Batoni highlighted that PA currently employs 17 permanent staff and approximately 45 workers, including casual laborers. The partnership between CASA and PA focused on providing an asset grant for a feed mill, technical assistance on financial management, and training for smallholder farmers in modern poultry farming practices. Through a cost-sharing model, CASA supported PA with a 2-3-ton feed mill, enabling the company to gain control over feed production for its farm.
“This has been crucial for us,” Batoni said. “It has positioned us as a farm transitioning from subsistence to a modern operation.” The company has since achieved full self-sufficiency in feed production, reducing costs and improving the quality of feeds and eggs. This shift also led to a significant decrease in chicken mortality rates, from losing up to 20 chickens a day to rarely more than one or three.
Training and Certification Efforts
In addition to feed production, PA is also training smallholder farmers and plans to supply them with quality feed. To achieve this, the company is working with the Rwanda Standards Bureau under the Zamukana Ubuziranenge programme, which helps SMEs obtain product certification. A standard audit was conducted by RSB, and PA is in the process of implementing standards for farming and feeds to eventually obtain ISO certifications for both eggs and feeds.
“Testing our feeds in RSB laboratories has shown that they meet the required standards,” Batoni noted. Additionally, CASA provided technical assistance to PA, helping them prepare financial statements, ensure tax compliance, and improve business plans—key elements for operational efficiency and investment readiness.
Encouraging Nutritional Awareness and Investment
Batoni also encouraged people to consume eggs for better nutrition, emphasizing their high protein and essential nutrient content. She called on local investors to focus on grain crops such as soya bean and maize, which have become cash crops due to their demand for both human and livestock consumption.
Beyond CASA’s support, PA has ongoing partnerships with BDF under the Commercialization and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT). This collaboration involved financial support for constructing a chicken house for 10,000 chickens and purchasing a farm truck. The Government of Rwanda also supports co-financing for poultry insurance against various risks.
Expansion and Future Goals
The farm has expanded from 30,000 to 40,000 chickens and aims to reach 50,000 in the future. The CASA Rwanda programme, implemented by Swisscontact and NIRAS since October 2022, and funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) through International Climate Finance (ICF), has demonstrated how inclusive support can boost agribusiness performance and attract private investment.
During the close-out event held on November 4 in Kigali, stakeholders praised the programme’s contributions to innovation, collaboration, and sustainable growth. Kagabo Nkubito, CASA Rwanda Country Manager, emphasized that the programme worked with government institutions and the private sector to support nine enterprises across poultry, aquaculture, and vegetable value chains, along with two service providers.
Key Collaborations and Achievements
Notable collaborations include Platinum Agribusiness in local poultry feed production, B5CD in Bugesera District, and Maggot Farm in Kamonyi District, which produces Black Soldier Fly larvae to convert organic waste into animal feed. In aquaculture, CASA partnered with Fine Fish, Good Smelling Company, and RARICO. For vegetables, the programme worked with DEYI, AGRAH CARE, Agrilec, and Afrinet.
CASA also partnered with BDO East Africa to strengthen financial readiness among enterprises. “Through our investment facilitation work, we have helped unlock financing opportunities, encouraged blended investment models, and built a stronger pipeline of agribusinesses that are ready for commercial investment,” Nkubito said.
To date, CASA Rwanda partners have reached 21,000 farmers, with another 9,000 expected by next month. The programme has leveraged over £255,000 in commercial investment and mobilized more than £1 million (Rwf1.8 billion) in counterpart contributions from private partners.
Lessons and Future Prospects
Steve Morris, CASA Programme Team Leader, highlighted that the programme aimed to demonstrate the business case for agricultural investment. Over the past three years, smallholder-linked agribusinesses have matured, with some now securing grants or commercial loans and operating independently. “They’ve become investment-ready. Some have actually achieved investment, receiving either grant funding or commercial loans from banks and are now able to grow on their own,” he said.
Clement Egide Kabano Niyitegeka, Partner in Charge of Risk Advisory Services at BDO East Africa, emphasized the importance of collaboration with CASA. “Supporting SMEs is crucial. By helping them become investment-ready, we’re not just building enterprises—we’re strengthening the entire economic ecosystem.”
Rob Hale, Head of Green Growth and Trade at the British High Commission in Kigali, commended CASA’s success stories, such as Platinum Agribusiness, which now employs 50 people and exports eggs to Eastern DRC. Hannington Namara, Managing Director of Equity Bank Rwanda, reaffirmed the banking sector’s commitment to advancing agribusiness, particularly for youth and women.
As CASA Rwanda concludes its operations, the lessons learned will continue to inspire future efforts in attracting private investment into Rwanda’s agriculture sector, ensuring growth remains inclusive and sustainable.