The Government of Rwanda has announced plans to establish large grain handling hubs with a combined capacity to process and store more than 200,000 tonnes of maize, rice, and beans to reduce post-harvest losses to below 5 per cent by 2029, down from 13.8 per cent recorded in 2023. 

These centralised facilities are expected to promote the grain value chain by connecting farmers to markets, processors, and modern storage infrastructure, thereby reducing waste and strengthening food security.

According to the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), maize production during the 2025 Agriculture Season A was estimated at 481,246 metric tonnes, cultivated over 244,095 hectares. 

The highest production was recorded in the Eastern Province, particularly in Nyagatare, Kirehe, Gatsibo, and Kayonza districts, with an average national yield of two tonnes per hectare. 

Maize has been prioritised for post-harvest handling facilities over the next five years.

Solange Uwituze, Acting Director General of the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), said that construction of four large grain handling hubs is already underway, each with a total annual handling capacity of 25,000 tonnes of maize and 18,000 tonnes of rice.

“Each of the four hubs will handle up to 25,000 tonnes of maize and 18,000 tonnes of rice annually. Each hub will be equipped with pre-cleaning equipment for maize and dryer machines with a capacity of eight tonnes per hour, suitable for both maize and rice,” Uwituze said.

The Enhancing Post-Harvest Management for Grains in Rwanda project will also establish 10 smaller hubs fitted with dryers, modular silos, and manual bagging systems to provide storage solutions at the community level.

The government is also planning to construct four high-capacity silos, with a combined capacity of 80,000 tonnes, and 10 high-capacity maize shellers, with a processing capacity of 20 tonnes per hour each. 

Uwituze added that under the Commercialisation and De-Risking for Agricultural Transformation Project (CDAT), additional warehouses will be built to store maize, rice, and Irish potatoes. So far, 26 projects have been contracted, including 13 dryer projects and 13 warehouse and silo projects to improve storage and drying capacity.

Farmers, however, say the facilities are still far from sufficient. KABOKU, a cooperative representing over 1,000 farmers in Nyagatare District, produces between 4,000 and 5,000 tonnes of cereals per season but struggles to store even half of its harvest due to inadequate facilities. 

Madeleine Uwimana, a maize and tomato farmer from Kirehe District, noted that poor drying facilities often lead to aflatoxin contamination. “Maize processing industries reject some produce due to aflatoxin. 

Over 15 percent of maize can be affected, while around 40 per cent of tomatoes can be wasted due to a lack of cooling and storage facilities. We need more drying and storage facilities for maize and cold rooms for tomatoes in the communities,” she said.

Post-harvest losses remain even higher for fruits and vegetables, estimated at 40 per cent. Patrick Karangwa, Director General of Agriculture Modernisation at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), stressed the need for cold storage. 

“Cooling facilities are needed for fresh produce such as fruits and vegetables that are exported. The government can also subsidise projects with solutions at 50 per cent to reduce losses through cold chains,” he said. 

The Kigali Wholesale Market for Fresh Produce, currently under development, is expected to reduce such losses by providing cleaning, grading, drying, cold storage, and quality control services. 

According to the National Agricultural Export Development Board (NAEB), five post-harvest centres for chilli and onions are under construction and are expected to be completed by 2026. 

These centres, located in Kigali, Rulindo, Bugesera, Nyagatare, and Rubavu, will enhance the drying and curing of horticultural produce. 

Based at NAEB headquarters in Kigali, the national centre will handle 40 tonnes of chilli and onions daily, while each local centre will process 9.6 tonnes of chilli and 34.5 tonnes of onions. 

With the combination of large hubs, silos, warehouses, and fresh produce facilities, Rwanda is taking bold steps to strengthen its food security and reduce agricultural losses through improved post-harvest management.

Source: The New Times