Minister of Agriculture Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe and AfDB Rwanda Country Manager Aissa Touré Sarr signed an aide-mémoire on August 12 for a $995,000 grant to support feasibility, environmental, and social studies for the Gabiro Agribusiness Hub expansion.
The second phase of the project will cover 10,000 hectares across Nyagatare and Gatsibo districtsâ€"nearly twice the size of the 5,600-hectare first phase. Once complete, the entire hub will span 15,600 hectares, making it one of Rwanda's largest agribusiness developments.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture, the studies will assess the viability of establishing a special agro-industrial processing zone at the hub, integrating cold storage facilities, aggregation centers, and other infrastructure to support smallholder farmers. The partnership also aims to strengthen agricultural value chains and reduce post-harvest losses.
The AfDB grant will also benefit Kivu Cold Group, a Rwanda-Japan joint venture developing an environmentally friendly, off-grid cold chain system to promote climate-resilient and sustainable agriculture in sub-Saharan Africa.
Aloysius Ngarambe, CEO of Gabiro Agribusiness Hub Ltdâ€"the company managing the projectâ€"said the feasibility study will determine the investment required for Phase II and help attract financiers.
'This will be a critical step toward implementation,' he told The New Times.
Phase I, located in Nyagatare District, is 98 percent complete and equipped with advanced irrigation infrastructure. The government has invested $118 million (approximately Frw170 billion) in its development, with Israeli firm Netafim overseeing construction. Official handover is expected in September.
For Phase II, Ngarambe said the feasibility study contract is expected to be awarded within the next three months, although the study's duration has not yet been determined.
The Gabiro Agribusiness Hub is a flagship project aimed at boosting productivity, modernising farming practices, and improving market access for Rwandan farmers, while contributing to the country's food security and export growth.
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