At Nyirangarama, in Rulindo District, agriculture is more than a way of life. It is increasingly becoming the foundation of a growing agro-processing ecosystem where farming, skills development, manufacturing and trade co-exist.
The area, once he area, once known mainly as a rural settlement, has developed into a busy trading centre. At the heart of this transformation is entrepreneur Dr. Sina Gérard, whose journey has been closely linked to agriculture and the effort to turn local produce into competitive value-added products.
Through SINA GÉRARD/ ENTREPRISE URWIBUTSO, a portfolio of more than 30 products has been built, many of them originating from agricultural production. The enterprise produces juices, chilli oil, yoghurt, biscuits, jams, honey products, wine, nuts, mayonnaise, bread and cakes, among others.
For Dr. Sina, however, the ambition goes beyond producing food. “Whatever we do, our primary objective is to produce for our country, then we can look for other markets.
We also ensure that our products are affordable to every Rwandan.”
From Agriculture to Value Addition
Dr. Sina’s approach is based on a simple principle: agriculture becomes more powerful when farmers can move beyond producing raw materials and participate in processing and value addition. His own experience reflects this philosophy.
He established vineyards in Nyirangarama in 2005 and subsequently invested in fruit processing. He developed Agashya juice processing plant, an initiative that demonstrated how locally produced agricultural commodities could be transformed into commercially viable products.
The enterprise later expanded into other areas, including Akarusho grape wine, Akabanga chilli oil, Agashya juices, Akaryoshye yoghurt, Akarabo biscuits made from locally sourced wheat and potatoes, Akizewe honey, jams and other food products. Some of these products have found markets beyond Rwanda, including in Europe.
But innovation remains at the centre of the operation.
One of the more recent areas of interest is sugarcane, as the enterprise explores ways of developing the crop and transforming it into higher-value products.
The broader objective is to establish what Dr. Sina describes as a complete ecosystem—one that links farming, livestock production, processing, skills development and manufacturing.
“We cultivate, rear livestock, have workshops and ensure that we have a complete ecosystem,” he says. “We start by providing skills to the young generation while producing for our community.”
Modernising Agriculture
Dr. Sina believes Rwanda’s agricultural transformation will depend heavily on young people embracing farming as a modern and commercially viable profession.
He has therefore been progressively moving from traditional agricultural practices towards more modern approaches, combining production with innovation and processing.
For him, agriculture should not be viewed simply as subsistence farming. It can provide employment, generate businesses and supply industries with raw materials.
This philosophy is also reflected in his education initiatives at Nyirangarama. Through Collège Fondation/Sina Gérard, students are exposed to practical and vocational skills, including agronomy, animal health and food processing. The school has incorporated hands- on training so that young people can acquire skills that connect education with the world of work.
The idea is to produce a generation that does not only seek employment but can also create opportunities through agriculture, technology and enterprise.
Building a “Made in Nyirangarama” Brand
As production expands, Dr. Sina is pursuing another ambition: building a strong identity around products made at Nyirangarama. “Made in Nyirangarama” is emerging as a brand concept that captures his desire to produce a wide range of goods locally, using local resources and skills wherever possible.
The strategy is particularly relevant to Rwanda’s broader push for local production and value addition. Instead of exporting agricultural commodities in their raw form, processing them locally can create additional value, jobs and markets along the supply chain.
At Nyirangarama, this model brings agriculture closer to manufacturing: crops are cultivated, livestock is reared, raw materials are processed, products are packaged and ultimately brought to consumers.
Investing in People
For Dr. Sina, the ecosystem is not complete without investing in people. His education initiatives, alongside the work of the Sina Gérard Foundation, seek to give young people opportunities to develop their talents and practical skills. The foundation has also supported activities in areas such as sports, reflecting his broader belief that healthy and skilled communities are essential to development.
His school has grown to serve thousands of students, while hundreds of children from vulnerable households receive education and scholastic materials each year.
His philanthropic efforts extend to healthcare and faith. Dr. Sina established a community health facility to improve access to essential healthcare, while his deep Catholic faith inspired him to build St. Gerard Church, providing a place of worship and spiritual nourishment for the community.
But the central lesson Dr. Sina wants young people to take from Nyirangarama is that opportunities can be created from what Rwanda already has. Agriculture, in his view, is one of those opportunities.
His involvement in media—including online television and social media platforms—has also helped him communicate ideas about entrepreneurship, innovation and development to a
wider audience.
Agriculture as an Engine of Opportunity
The story unfolding at Nyirangarama illustrates a shift from agriculture as a source of raw materials to agriculture as the starting point of an entire value chain.
From vineyards and sugarcane to livestock, food processing and locally branded products, Dr. Sina Gérard is building a model in which farming feeds industry, industry creates jobs and skills development prepares the next generation to sustain the cycle.
His vision is not simply to produce more, but to produce differently—by adding value, creating competitive products and ensuring that more of the economic benefits of agriculture remain within Rwanda.
For Nyirangarama, the journey from a rural farming community to a bustling centre of trade and agro- processing is still evolving. And at its centre is an increasingly clear proposition: the future of agriculture lies not only in what Rwanda grows, but in what it can create from what it grows.
