Rwanda earned more than $1.1 billion from agricultural and livestock exports in the 2025/26 financial year, the first time earnings from the sector have crossed the $1 billion mark, the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB) said.
The earnings rose 24.3% from $893 million recorded in the 2024/25 financial year, according to NAEB.
The increase came as Rwanda sought to raise production, improve the quality and value of agricultural products and expand their presence in international markets, the agency said.
NAEB said investments in processing and quality-testing facilities, together with improved systems for tracing the origin of agricultural products, helped strengthen the competitiveness of Rwandan exports.
The agency also cited compliance with international quality standards and efforts to promote Rwandan agricultural and livestock products in overseas markets.
Improvements in transport infrastructure, innovation and the use of technology across agricultural value chains also contributed to the increase in export earnings, NAEB said.
NAEB Director General Claude Bizimana described crossing the $1 billion mark as an important milestone for the country’s agricultural export sector.
“Reaching more than $1 billion in export earnings is a significant milestone and demonstrates the efforts the country is putting into developing agricultural exports,” Bizimana said.
NAEB has also promoted high-quality Rwandan coffee through annual competitions and supported initiatives aimed at increasing crop production, strengthening farmers’ skills and improving farming practices.
Bizimana said NAEB would continue working with farmers, processors, traders and other partners to increase production, add value to agricultural products and expand access to international markets.
The agency said the work is part of efforts to support the government’s second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5).
NAEB said it would continue working with actors across the agricultural value chain to increase export earnings and identify new international markets for Rwandan products.
