Implemented by NIRAS and Swisscontact since October 2022, CASA Rwanda focuses on the three value chains of aquaculture, poultry and vegetables, selected using a Market Systems Development approach. CASA Rwanda is providing technical assistance and grants to nine agri-SMEs and two support organizations to improve their capacity to be investment-ready to access finance and leverage investment. Interventions will be implemented to demonstrate innovative solutions to current constraints in the respective markets, capitalise on opportunities, and contribute to improving access to better, more lucrative markets. The partnerships will result in higher incomes for the projected 29,825 participating smallholder farmers, as well as improving their climate change adaptation and resilience, food and nutrition security, and gender equity and social inclusion.

Under the aquaculture value chain, CASA Rwanda is working with selected partners to support smallholder farmer cooperatives and agri-SMEs to access affordable and relevant business development services, and access to fair markets and affordable nutritionally-improved feeds. In poultry, CASA is providing support to improve the capacity of smallholder farmers and agri-SMEs to benefit from business support services to access quality and alternative inputs, technical extension and markets. For the vegetable value chain, CASA is using its MSD approach to support the development of a functional vegetable market system to generate income for participating smallholder farmers, and enhance food and nutrition security and climate resilience, through well-developed contract farming and outgrower models.