Untapped Potential Behind Intra-African Trade: Scoping Study on Economic Empowerment of Women in Informal Cross-Border Trade in Rwanda

This project aims to enhance youth employment in Rwanda by transforming the agricultural sector through data-driven solutions and improved access to finance. Targeting 4,600 agri-cooperatives representing over 600,000 smallholder farmers, the initiative addresses key barriers such as limited financial inclusion, lack of cooperative segmentation, and inadequate business development services (BDS).

By leveraging historical data and digital tools, the project supports the Rwanda Cooperative Agency (RCA) in building a national database to categorize cooperatives based on business professionalism. This segmentation enables tailored BDS and facilitates access to finance, especially for youth and women-led cooperatives. Partners like SCOPEinsight and the Center for Development Policy (CDP) will conduct assessments and deliver capacity-building interventions, while MoneyPhone provides direct digital loans using proprietary risk assessment tools.

The project focuses on three value chains—potatoes, maize, and chillies—and aims to create 10,000 youth jobs. It also contributes to policy development through evidence-based briefs and stakeholder dialogues. Ultimately, the initiative fosters a more inclusive, competitive, and resilient agri-SME ecosystem, aligning with Rwanda’s national goals for economic transformation, food security, and youth empowerment.