For the first time in its history, Rwanda has broken through the symbolic $1 billion mark in agricultural exports. According to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), agricultural export revenues reached $1.1 billion (Rwf 1.6 trillion) in fiscal year 2025-2026 — a 24.3% increase from the previous year's $893 million.
A Figure Equal to Nearly a Quarter of the National Budget
The figure is striking in the Rwandan context: these agricultural export revenues represent nearly one quarter of Rwanda's entire annual national budget. For NAEB CEO Claude Bizimana: «Surpassing the US$1 billion mark is a significant achievement for Rwanda's agricultural export sector.»
Growth was driven by several factors: improved export infrastructure, stronger product traceability, enhanced compliance with international quality standards, market diversification, and logistics optimisation. Specialty coffee — spotlighted through the Best of Rwanda National Specialty Coffee Competition — has been a flagship product in this quality-driven strategy.
A Solid Strategic Framework
This performance was achieved within two national planning frameworks: the Second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the 5th Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5). These roadmaps placed agricultural sector resilience and export growth at the heart of government priorities, with targeted investments in processing capacity, farmer training, and rural credit access.
RwandAir also announced the expansion of its long-haul fleet with the addition of an Airbus A330-200 — another signal that Kigali is reinforcing its position as a regional hub, both for trade and air connectivity.
The Target: $1.5 Billion by 2029
Building on this success, Rwanda has now set a target of $1.5 billion in agricultural exports by 2029. An ambitious but credible goal given the current growth trajectory and the strength of the institutional framework in place.
Why It Matters
Rwanda proves that a landlocked country with no significant mineral resources can build a robust export economy by betting on quality, traceability, and governance. It is a model that speaks directly to Indian Ocean economies — Comoros, Madagascar, Seychelles — which possess agri-resources that remain undervalued. The Rwandan lesson: transformation, not extraction, creates lasting value.