Unlocking Youth Employment Opportunities Through Systemic Agricultural Transformation
Overiew: This project addresses the critical challenge of youth access to finance in Rwanda’s agricultural sector by establishing a comprehensive national database of agricultural cooperatives. Through data analytics, tailored capacity building, and digital lending solutions, we’re transforming how young people access opportunities in agriculture.
OUR TEAM
General Assembly
The General Assembly is the Supreme body of CDP. It is composed of founding members. Founder members are the signatories to the constitution of CDP. The General Assembly is the supreme body of the organization. It is composed of all effective members. It owns and oversees the growth and development of CDP. The organ sets the organization’s direction and oversees the decisions and operations of the Board of directors.
They are committed to actively participating in all the activities of the organization. They attend all the meetings of the General Assembly with the right to vote and have to give contributions decided by the General Assembly. It has full powers and makes all decisions regarding the policies and priorities of the CDP. The General Assembly provides and protects the vision and values of CDP.
About the Project
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.
Project Reach
4,600
Agricultural Cooperatives
600,000
Smallholder Farmers
10,000
Jobs to be Created
250
In-Depth Assessments
Theory of Change
The Challenge
- 87.5% of Rwandan farmers excluded from organized cooperatives
- Only 19% of youth have access to banking services
- Lack of credible data on agri-SMEs and cooperatives
- High collateral requirements and perceived sector risks
- Inadequate segmentation of cooperative development stages
The Solution
- Data-driven segmentation and performance measurement
- National online database platform
- Tailored business development services
- Digital lending using alternative risk assessment
- Evidence-based policy recommendations
Objectives
Data Infrastructure
Establish a national database on agricultural cooperative performance to enable data-driven decision making across the sector.
Capacity Building
Implement evidence-based, tailored Business Development Services to strengthen cooperative management and operations.
Financial Access
Increase access to finance for youth and underserved segments through data analytics and digital lending solutions.
Focused Value Chains
Potatoes
Maize
Chilli
