Established in 2019, Good Smelling Company (GSC) is a butcher and retailer operating in Kayonza District, with four employees. Specializing in poultry and fish, the business has successfully captured a niche market. Currently, they offer their clients a diverse range of fish, including tilapia (95%), Thomson (3%) and fish fillet (2%). The butchery has the capacity to supply 9 kg of fish a week, strategically distributing its products to different high-end markets in Kigali, secondary cities and through its own outlets in Kayonza. Contact: jdamascener1@gmail.com

Promoting an Off-taking Contract Model with an SME trader and Smallholder Producers Organized in Cooperatives

This project demonstrates that increasing capacity can satisfy high market demand for fish through efficient contract farming models with smallholder fish farmer cooperatives.  

Through this 14-month project, GSC have developed a business case to work with more cooperatives in a more organized manner using an off-taking contract model, with transparent and stable pricing to safeguard their supply chain. GSC will contract and source from 15 cooperatives impacting more than 420 smallholder farmer members, aiming to increase quantities sourced to more than 2,000 kg/week to meet available demand and increase fish revenues from 40% to 60% of their business. The cooperatives will gain a stable and reliable market that buys from them with a predictable price, and individual farmers are projected to realise an annual income increase of £50.

With a total project cost of £65,900, CASA is contributing £30,168 for capacity-building support, business plan development, mapping and selecting cooperatives for the pilot phase, technical assistance to develop contracts between GSC and selected cooperatives on Good Agricultural Practices, developing a marketing and distribution strategy, and business development services to support cooperatives. An additional CASA grant of £11,400 will fund a cold truck purchase.

GSC plan to expand their market to other provinces in the future by investing retained profits.