“U.S. and Saudi fighter aircraft struck multiple terrorist logistics and weapons sites across eastern Iraq in a strong response to over 30 IRGC-directed aerial drone attacks in the last 72 hours,” the command said on X, referring to the Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC).
“The unwarranted attacks against U.S. forces were not successful,” it said.
Noting that Iran-aligned militias in Iraq had conducted more than 600 attempted attacks on U.S. citizens and facilities from February through April, the command warned that the IRGC and its “proxies” must cease such attacks or face further U.S. military response.
Shortly after the release of the statement, an explosion struck the headquarters of Iraq’s paramilitary Popular Mobilization Forces, according to media reports.
Tuesday’s strikes came amid heightened tensions following months of U.S.-Iran hostilities, during which alleged Iraqi attacks on U.S. forces in the country and elsewhere in the region have been reported.
US and Saudi warplanes carried out strikes on Tuesday against Iran-backed militants in Iraq who launched more than two dozen drone attacks in recent days, the US military said.
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, announced the approval during bilateral talks with Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, in Addis Ababa.
“The Kenyan Cabinet approves the movement of about 40,000 metric tonnes to Rwanda through our pipeline from Mombasa. We are committed to ensuring a deeper relationship with our neighbours,” Mudavadi said.
The agreement will allow Rwanda to use Kenya’s petroleum infrastructure, including the pipeline network connecting the Port of Mombasa, to facilitate the movement of fuel imports.
Nduhungirehe said the arrangement will help stabilise Rwanda’s fuel supply and support smooth operations across the economy.
“That will be about 52 million litres, which is about our consumption in a month. It will serve us well,” he said.
Rwanda, a landlocked country, relies on neighbouring countries for access to international fuel markets. The country has been working to diversify petroleum import routes through agreements with Kenya and Tanzania to improve supply reliability and strengthen energy security.
In June 2026, Rwanda signed a cooperation agreement with Kenya to facilitate petroleum imports through the Port of Mombasa, granting access to storage facilities, transportation services and distribution infrastructure.
Rwanda later signed a similar agreement with Tanzania in July to import petrol and diesel through the Port of Tanga.
The agreements are part of efforts to expand Rwanda’s petroleum supply network amid global fuel market uncertainties while also positioning the country to participate more actively in regional petroleum trade.
Earlier this month, Minister of Trade and Industry Antoine Marie Kajangwe said the agreements with Kenya and Tanzania could create opportunities for Rwanda to become a regional fuel distribution hub.
“We believe this can strengthen regional trade, allowing Rwanda, given its geographical position, to supply petroleum products to neighbouring countries. Our goal is to have sufficient petroleum products that can meet demand in Rwanda and also serve markets in the region,” Kajangwe said.
Mudavadi said Kenya’s decision to facilitate fuel transit to Rwanda demonstrates the two countries’ commitment to regional integration and shared prosperity.
He added that Kenya remains focused on strengthening regional partnerships and advancing Africa’s role in international institutions. During the talks, Mudavadi also sought Rwanda’s support for Kenyan candidates seeking positions at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, Musalia Mudavadi, announced the approval during bilateral talks with Rwanda’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Olivier Nduhungirehe, in Addis Ababa.
He made the remarks during an interactive #MeetThePresident session with participants of the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa at the Gabiro Combat Training Center on Tuesday.
Itorero Indangamirwa is a national civic education and values-formation programme established in 2008. It is designed to promote Rwandan cultural values, national history, and principles of socio-economic transformation, while also introducing participants to basic military skills and leadership training.
President Kagame told the young participants that they should approach challenges with confidence, believing they have the ability to find solutions or become part of the solution instead of expecting others to solve their problems.
“You must be confident that you have the ability to find a solution or to be part of the solution,” he said. “Be part of government. Be part of the private sector. Be part of any institution; being part of it is your right.”
President Kagame engages participants of the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa during an interactive session at the Gabiro Combat Training Center on Tuesday.
He cautioned against what he described as a culture of entitlement, saying people should not sit back expecting others to provide what they need.
“Why do you feel entitled that somebody will provide what you need? Why are you not making an effort to give yourself what you need?” Kagame asked.
Addressing young people interested in business and entrepreneurship, the President encouraged them to develop ideas, collaborate with friends and colleagues, and take the first step before seeking external support.
He advised innovators to seek support from relevant government institutions or other stakeholders when they encounter obstacles they cannot overcome on their own, rather than assume that no help is available.
“But if you sit back and say, ‘This government, even people who have ideas, they can’t help’, you haven’t even reached out to the government to say, ‘We have an idea,’” he said.
Kagame acknowledged that not every idea would succeed but urged young people to persevere.
“Maybe ten out of ten ideas or approaches you try may not work favourably for you, but six out of ten will work. Why not? So it’s worth giving it a try,” he said.
President Kagame cautioned against what he described as a culture of entitlement, saying people should not sit back expecting others to provide what they need.
The President urged participants to channel their energy into creating solutions, describing them as builders, innovators and problem solvers with a responsibility to contribute to Rwanda’s continued development.
“You are now builders of something. You are problem solvers. You are innovators,” he remarked, adding that contributing to the nation’s development ultimately benefits those who make the effort.
Reflecting on Rwanda’s liberation struggle, Kagame recalled that those who fought to liberate the country had little external support and therefore had no option but to rely on their own determination and resilience.
“During the liberation, actually, we had nobody to go to,” he said. “Who would we have complained to? Tell me, where would you have gone to complain? Nowhere.”
He stressed that meaningful support usually comes after people demonstrate commitment and effort.
“If you want to be helped, you must know how to do it. You can’t wait for somebody to feed you. You must strive to feed yourself. There are no two ways about it,” he stressed.
President Kagame told the young participants that they should approach challenges with confidence,
Warning against overreliance on others, Kagame argued that expecting governments, foreign countries or other people to provide everything undermines personal responsibility.
“But if you think we shall sit back and expect to be given resources from other countries or other citizens, first of all, it is a foolish thing. It’s absolutely foolish. Many people who sit back and expect that somebody will look after them; people call it dependence. Dependence is another word for stupidity.”
He urged young Rwandans to reject such a mindset and instead build on the achievements of previous generations.
“Some others have played their part… It is up to you to come and fill the gap, and then continue beyond that to another level higher than where we have reached this country,” Kagame urged.
He concluded by encouraging the participants to remain disciplined, take care of themselves, and avoid destructive habits such as alcohol abuse, warning that they could derail their ambitions before they are realised.
Itorero Indangamirwa is a national civic education and values-formation programme established in 2008. The programme is designed to promote Rwandan cultural values, national history, and principles of socio-economic transformation, while also introducing participants to basic military skills and leadership training.
The President made the remarks on July 28, 2026, while meeting with the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa, the civic and national values training program for Rwandan youth, organized by the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement at Gabiro Combat Training Centre.
This year’s program has close to 800 participating youth between the ages of 18-23 including Rwandans living abroad, and students from across high schools and higher learning institutions in Rwanda.
Kagame explained to the young people the difficult history Rwanda went through, including the displacement of thousands of Rwandans who fled the country from 1959 following waves of violence targeting sections of the population.
“Unlike you, I did not have the opportunity to start from where you are, being told that there is Itorero and learning what happens there. No, I never attended Itorero. Where I got my lessons was not called Itorero,” Kagame said.
He explained that he lived in Uganda from the age of four or five because of these historical circumstances and began searching for solutions when he was around 20 or 21 years old. By the age of 23, he said, he met others who shared the same concerns and joined efforts to address the issue.
Kagame urged the youth to start thinking early about their interests and those of their families and country, commending them for choosing to attend Itorero, a programme aimed at instilling values among Rwandans.
During the interaction, the President asked the Indangamirwa participants whether they had learned how to accurately use firearms. After they responded that they had, he told them that weapons should only be used when necessary and not against every situation.
He said: “Everything has its time. When the time has not come to resort to weapons, there is no reason to use them. When that time comes, it does not come because of one individual alone.
“It comes when people’s rights have been taken away, when they have been pushed as far as we were pushed, and when they seek other ways to resolve the problem but those options fail. Then it becomes a matter of saying: ‘Now you know? We are going to fight over this.’”
Kagame said that when one person denies another person their rights and prevents a country from living in peace, the first step should be to seek dialogue and peace. However, if that fails, he said, the use of force may become necessary, citing the Rwanda Patriotic Army’s (RPA) liberation struggle that began on October 1, 1990.
He recalled that while he and his colleagues were refugees, they believed they should not remain in exile. However, he said officials from the Habyarimana government who came to Uganda argued that Rwanda was too small to accommodate all refugees returning home.
“But the country is small. These people don’t have a place,” Kagame said.
President Kagame said it was inconceivable that Rwandan refugees could be denied the right to return to their own country while the Habyarimana government believed they, and even their descendants, would remain in exile indefinitely despite having a homeland.
He explained that at the start of the liberation struggle, he told those fighting alongside him that he did not blame the country that had given them refuge, even if it had treated them unfairly, but instead held responsible the government that had refused to allow them to return home.
“My problem was with the person who was supposed to determine my rights in my own country and denied me those rights. That was the person we had to confront, and that is what happened,” Kagame said.
“I would not start a war against those who had hosted us because they had not given us something or had denied us something.
“No. They were free to give us what they wished or not, even if one might consider it unfair. The real responsibility lay with the person who had denied you peace in your own country.
Kagame told the youth that one of the important lessons they should learn is how to defend their rights and understand that no one should dictate how they should live or determine how Rwandans should live.
The Indangamirwa programme brings together young Rwandans to strengthen patriotism, leadership skills and national values.President Paul Kagame addresses the 16th cohort of Itorero Indangamirwa during a session at Gabiro Combat Training Centre.Nearly 800 young Rwandans, including students and youth from the diaspora, are taking part in the 16th Indangamirwa training programme.
The demonstrations were organized by civil society organizations operating in the two cities, which are under the control of AFC/M23. Organizers described the sanctions imposed by the UN Security Council on AFC/M23 Coordinator Corneille Nangaa, the coalition’s intelligence chief, Col. Nzenze Imani, and MRDP Twirwaneho commander Brig. Gen. Charles Sematama as biased.
The civil society groups also accused President Tshisekedi of seeking to remain in power beyond the constitutional two-term limit by changing the Constitution. They argued that his administration has failed to govern effectively and called for him to step down in favor of new leadership.
Ahead of the demonstrations, on July 27, representatives of the civil society organizations formally notified the mayors of Goma and Bukavu, requesting authorization to hold the protests and ensure the safety of participants. Local authorities reportedly assured them that security would be provided.
Following days of mobilization, large crowds gathered in both cities, with demonstrators expressing support for AFC/M23 and seeking to show that areas under the coalition’s control have remained peaceful since early last year. Protesters contrasted the security situation in those areas with territories controlled by the Kinshasa government.
Many demonstrators carried placards denouncing President Tshisekedi’s administration, the long-running attacks by the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) in Beni, North Kivu Province, and military operations by the Congolese government in Minembwe Commune in South Kivu Province.
Some banners read, “We reject the UN sanctions imposed on AFC/M23 members without any valid justification.” Others claimed that since AFC/M23 took control of Goma and Bukavu, the cities have become more secure and united, with improved access to clean water, electricity and continued development.
In Goma, protesters displayed banners stating: “We, the people of North Kivu Province, reject the constitutional amendment project and the Kinshasa government’s actions aimed at destabilizing areas where AFC/M23 has restored security.”
Speaking during the protest in Bukavu, one civil society representative said the demonstrators opposed constitutional changes and wanted peace through dialogue.
“We are demonstrating because we reject any amendment to the Constitution and we want peace. We want negotiations to begin as soon as possible so that lasting peace can be achieved,” she said.
She also criticized the UN sanctions, saying: “How can you sanction a citizen in a sovereign country? It is unacceptable for this to happen to a Congolese citizen who is fighting for his rights, seeking peace and advocating peaceful coexistence.”
North Kivu Deputy Governor Manzi Willy expressed support for the demonstrations, arguing that what he described as one-sided sanctions would not contribute to peace in the DRC.
“A conflict involves two parties, yet only one continues to face punitive measures while the other is spared comparable scrutiny,” Manzi said.
“Such an approach is unlikely to advance peace; it risks deepening divisions and undermining confidence in the negotiation process.”
Demonstrators display banners during protests against Tshisekedi and sanctions targeting AFC/M23 leaders.Civil society-led protests in Goma and Bukavu draw thousands opposing Tshisekedi’s policies and UN sanctions on AFC/M23.Demonstrators expressing support for AFC/M23 and seeking to show that areas under the coalition’s control have remained peaceful since early last year.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation on July 27, 2026, the nationwide switch-off of 3G services is scheduled for June 30, 2027, while the retirement of 2G services will follow after an assessment of network coverage, service continuity and the adoption of compatible devices.
The transition is being coordinated by the Ministry of ICT and Innovation (MINICT) and the Rwanda Utilities Regulatory Authority (RURA) in collaboration with mobile network operators, government institutions, the private sector and the public.
“This transition will free up network capacity currently used to run two generations of aging technology, allowing mobile operators to invest fully in expanding and strengthening 4G and, over time, 5G coverage across the country,” the statement reads.
For consumers, the change is expected to translate into faster internet speeds, clearer voice calls, fewer dropped connections and improved access to services that increasingly rely on modern mobile networks, including mobile banking, government e-services, education and digital health platforms.
The implementation will be guided by several readiness indicators before the shutdown is completed.
These include ensuring reliable nationwide 4G coverage and quality of service, maintaining uninterrupted voice calls, text messaging, mobile money and emergency services, migrating services that still depend on USSD, 2G or 3G technologies, ensuring the availability of affordable compatible devices, and conducting extensive public awareness campaigns and customer support.
As part of the transition, pilot shutdowns of older networks will be carried out during 2026 while authorities continue expanding 4G coverage and monitoring the country’s readiness for the nationwide 3G switch-off.
MINICT has urged mobile phone users to verify whether their devices and SIM cards support 4G technology. MTN Rwanda customers can check their SIM compatibility by dialing 4561#, while Airtel Rwanda customers can dial 2555*4#. Mobile operators will also notify customers who need to upgrade their devices or SIM cards.
Businesses and public institutions operating equipment or services that still rely on 2G or 3G; including systems used for mobile money, payment platforms, utilities, transport, healthcare, public safety and government services, have also been advised to begin planning for upgrades or replacements.
MINICT and RURA said additional guidance will be issued to service providers and the public as the migration progresses.
The move comes just over a year after MTN Rwanda officially launched its 5G network in June 2025, describing the technology as a key driver of innovation and digital transformation.
At the time, the operator said 5G would deliver significantly higher speeds, lower latency and greater network capacity, with initial deployment focusing on Kigali and selected high-demand locations before wider expansion.
Rwanda is among Africa’s leading countries for internet speed and also ranks among the world’s top-performing nations for internet connectivity.
The latest government roadmap is expected to further support the country’s long-term transition toward advanced mobile connectivity.
The nationwide switch-off of 3G services is scheduled for June 30, 2027, while the retirement of 2G services will follow after an assessment of network coverage.
The ambassador disclosed the figures while speaking to IGIHE on the sidelines of Umuganda, Rwanda’s monthly community service, held in Jabana Sector of Gasabo District last Saturday, where more than 150 Sudanese nationals joined local residents in community work.
Dafalla said the growing investment portfolio reflects the Sudanese community’s confidence in Rwanda’s business environment and its desire to contribute to the country’s socio-economic development.
“Our total investment here is more than $25 million,” he said. “Real estate is one of the biggest sectors. We have five companies developing apartments, villas and houses. It is a very promising sector.”
He added that Sudanese investors have also established a strong presence in education, including two schools and a medical university with more than 1,000 medical students, alongside investments in medical services.
Ambassador Dafalla said the growing investment portfolio reflects the Sudanese community’s confidence in Rwanda’s business environment.
Beyond education and real estate, Sudanese businesses are active in agriculture, poultry farming, oil and gas, and other commercial activities.
“We have Sudanese agriculturalists with different farms. There are three or four companies in poultry, and some companies are already exporting cash crops,” he said.
According to the ambassador, Sudanese entrepreneurs are increasingly looking at Rwanda’s real estate market while also exploring opportunities in agriculture, particularly the export of coffee, tea and other cash crops.
“Rwanda is famous for its agribusiness, especially coffee and tea, which are among the best quality in the world,” he said, noting that Sudan is the sixth-largest importer of Rwandan coffee and tea and that both countries have room to expand agricultural trade.
Dafalla also revealed that Sudanese investments in Jabana alone are valued at about $4 million, mainly in the oil and gas sector.
The ambassador said the investments are being driven by a growing Sudanese community in Rwanda, which he estimated at around 5,000 people, including about 4,000 students enrolled in six universities. Others work in healthcare, business and other professional fields.
He noted that Sudanese doctors serve in hospitals and clinics across Rwanda, while business owners operate shops in Kigali and have also introduced Sudanese cuisine through about 15 restaurants.
“We are contributing to cultural diversity,” he said. “We are part of this culture and are adding beauty to the cultural scene in Rwanda.”
Members of the Sudanese community participated in Umuganda, Rwanda’s monthly community service programme, held in Jabana Sector of Gasabo District last Saturday.
Umuganda offers lessons for Sudan
Dafalla said the Sudanese Embassy organised the participation of more than 150 Sudanese nationals in Umuganda to expose them to one of Rwanda’s most celebrated homegrown initiatives.
He described Umuganda as an expression of African values centred on collective responsibility and community development, adding that the Sudanese community would take the lessons learned from the initiative back home and promote similar practices within their communities.
“We came to learn from Rwanda’s good practices and deepen our understanding of Rwandan culture,” he said. “Our youth especially want to learn from this so that when they finish their studies and return home, they can reflect these good practices in the Sudanese community.”
During the exercise, the embassy donated 100 construction and cleaning tools to support community activities in Jabana.
The ambassador emphasised that the Sudanese community considers itself an integral part of Rwandan society.
“We are not aliens; we are African brothers and sisters,” he said. “We are here to participate, contribute positively and learn from Rwanda’s good practices.”
The ambassador emphasised that the Sudanese community considers itself an integral part of Rwandan society.
Embassy addresses student misconduct
The ambassador also addressed recent reports involving misconduct by some Sudanese students, describing the incidents as isolated and unrepresentative of the wider community.
He said the embassy has intensified engagement with students through campus visits, meetings with university leaders and collaboration with student associations to encourage respect for Rwandan laws and peaceful coexistence.
“When you have 4,000 students and there are only a few reported cases, the proportion is not alarming, but it is still a concern for us,” he said. “We are working hard to ensure it is not repeated.”
He urged Sudanese students to respect Rwanda’s laws, cooperate with law enforcement authorities and act as ambassadors of goodwill between the two countries.
“My message is that we should pay back respectfully to the Rwandan community,” he said. “Take the good practices from Rwanda back to Sudan. You are cultural bridges between our two African sister countries.”
A statement issued by the Directorate General of Immigration and Emigration shows that among those granted Rwandan citizenship, 26 were born in Burundi, 20 in the DRC, nine in Uganda and eight in the United States.
The group also includes six people born in Belgium, five from Cameroon, four from Kenya and three born in Rwanda to parents of foreign origin.
Canada, the Netherlands, the Republic of Congo, Switzerland and Tanzania each had two nationals among those who acquired Rwandan citizenship.
About 60 percent of the newly naturalised citizens are aged between 30 and 49 years, a demographic group considered to have strong potential to contribute to the country’s social and economic development.
They are followed by those aged between 50 and 64, people above 65 years, and young people below 30 years.
The youngest among the new citizens is five years old, while the oldest is 81.
The newly granted Rwandan citizenship became effective on July 24, 2026, according to a notice published in the Official Gazette of the Republic of Rwanda.
Rwanda has granted citizenship to 105 people from 27 countries.
At the centre of this transformation is the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA), which is helping build the knowledge and skills needed to move the approach from research and demonstration plots into farming communities across the country.
Through its role in a four-year Conservation Agriculture (CA) mainstreaming and scaling-up project worth $5 million, RICA is training agricultural professionals who will support farmers in adopting practices designed to protect soil while improving yields.
The project, implemented jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) and RICA, aims to integrate conservation agriculture into Rwanda’s agricultural extension system ahead of a nationwide rollout starting with the 2027A agricultural season.
Rather than training every farmer directly, RICA is focusing on strengthening the capacity of the people who work closest with farmers, including district agronomists, agricultural extension officers, environmental officers, Crop Intensification Programme focal persons and young agricultural professionals.
So far, 168 agricultural officers have been trained, while 889 technicians are expected to receive training before the start of the 2027A season.
On July 22, 2026, RICA hosted a two-day training session for 52 young agricultural professionals from districts across the country at its campus in Bugesera, equipping them with practical knowledge they will later transfer to farming communities.
Learning before teaching
At RICA, conservation agriculture training goes beyond classroom lessons.
Trainees are taken through demonstration plots where they observe the difference between conventional farming methods and conservation agriculture practices.
Plots managed through conventional tillage show how repeated soil disturbance can contribute to erosion and nutrient loss, while conservation agriculture plots demonstrate how minimum tillage, soil cover and crop diversification help restore soil health over time.
For RICA, the goal is not only to introduce new farming techniques but also to change long-established perceptions among farmers about what makes a productive field.
For generations, many farmers have considered a well-prepared field to be one that is deeply tilled, free of weeds and cleared of all crop residues after harvest.
However, agricultural experts warn that such practices can gradually damage soil quality, reduce moisture retention and lower productivity.
Heavy rains can wash away exposed topsoil, while uncovered land loses moisture quickly under intense sunlight. Over time, farmers may be forced to invest more in fertilisers and other inputs while getting lower returns.
Dr. Léonce Harerimana, Director of Extension and Irrigation and Water Management Lecturer at RICA, said the institution’s mission is to promote farming methods that protect Rwanda’s limited agricultural land while increasing production.
“As an institution dedicated to conservation agriculture, climate resilience and sustainable farming on small pieces of land, we promote minimum tillage, permanent soil cover, crop rotation, quality seed use, efficient irrigation and fertiliser management,” he said.
“Our mission is to ensure these practices go beyond the campus. We want farmers across Rwanda to embrace conservation agriculture because it protects the soil while improving productivity.”
Changing farming mindsets
Harerimana said one of the biggest challenges is changing traditional beliefs around farming practices.
He explained that excessive ploughing and removing crop residues from fields can negatively affect soil health.
“Sometimes we dig too deeply because that is what we have always done. But excessive tillage makes the soil more vulnerable to erosion. Many farmers also believe that a clean field is a good field, so they remove every residue after harvesting. Yet those residues are exactly what help protect the soil and improve its fertility as they decompose into organic matter with time,” he said.
Under conservation agriculture, farmers are encouraged to leave crop residues on the soil surface, where they act as natural mulch, helping retain moisture, reduce weed growth and restore organic matter.
The approach also promotes efficient use of fertilisers instead of simply increasing the quantity applied.
“Sometimes farmers apply more fertiliser thinking it will increase production. But what matters is applying the right quantity in the right way while maintaining healthy soils,” Harerimana said.
Protecting soil, increasing yields
According to Dr. Christian Nkurunziza, Conservation Agriculture Promotion Project Manager at MINAGRI, the approach is built around three main principles: minimum soil disturbance, permanent soil cover and crop diversification.
“Conservation agriculture is a type of farming that protects the soil through minimum tillage, recycles nutrients through crop residues, and protects crops by maintaining soil cover. As a result, plants grow under more favourable conditions, and agricultural production naturally increases,” he said.
The benefits of conservation agriculture are already reflected in research findings.
Nkurunziza said maize yields under conservation agriculture can increase by about 40 per cent, while bean production can rise by approximately 70 per cent.
RICA also highlights that maize production can reach up to seven tonnes per hectare when farmers combine conservation agriculture practices with quality seeds, compared with less than two tonnes on degraded soils.
For beans, conserved land can produce more than 1.6 tonnes per hectare, while poorly managed soils may produce below 500 kilogrammes per hectare.
Nkurunziza said protecting soil is becoming increasingly important because Rwanda’s available agricultural land is limited.
“Today, the amount of land available for farming is not increasing, but we want the same land to produce more. Without protecting it, soil would lose its natural qualities. In the past, farmers could leave fields fallow, but that is no longer possible because land must be cultivated every season,” he said.
Taking lessons to farming communities
Among those preparing to take conservation agriculture knowledge to farmers is Vivine Umubyeyi, a young agricultural professional who will work under MINAGRI in Kirehe District.
She said the training changed her understanding of farming and equipped her with skills to help farmers adopt new practices.
“I acquired training in conservation agriculture and I understand how it works and how it can positively affect farmers’ yields while protecting our soils. I will use these skills to help farmers practice conservation agriculture. Most importantly, I want them to understand why these methods work so they willingly adopt them,” she said.
Another trainee, Eric Uwitoze from Ruhango District, said the programme helped him understand the importance of practices such as crop rotation in reducing crop diseases and improving productivity.
He added that conservation agriculture could also help farmers reduce unnecessary costs by improving soil quality and efficiency.
Scaling up across Rwanda
The initiative will initially focus on Rwanda’s major food production areas and districts where land consolidation farming is practised.
It will start with 100,000 hectares during the 2027A agricultural season, expand to 150,000 hectares in the following season and eventually reach 600,000 hectares by 2029.
Priority crops include maize, beans, Irish potatoes and soybeans.
The programme is aligned with Rwanda’s Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5), which seeks to improve productivity while ensuring sustainable management of natural resources.
As Rwanda’s population continues to grow while farmland remains limited, RICA says conservation agriculture will be critical in ensuring that the country produces more food without exhausting the soil that supports agriculture.
Rwanda is set to introduce conservation agriculture practices on 600,000 hectares of farmland across the country under a $5 million project.
The development follows the establishment of a specialised college dedicated to veterinary medicine, which was separated from agricultural studies as part of reforms aimed at improving the university’s efficiency and academic focus.
In June 2024, UR reorganised the former College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine (CAVM), splitting it into two independent colleges: the College of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Sciences (CAFF) and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences (CVAS).
The move increased the number of UR colleges from six to seven.
The Deputy Vice Chancellor for Strategic Planning and Administration at University of Rwanda , Dr. Raymond Ndikumana, said the restructuring was part of reforms implemented between 2022 and 2024 to improve the university’s operations and ensure that each field receives specialised attention.
“Together with the Government of Rwanda, we realised that the former college, which combined agriculture and veterinary medicine, needed to be divided so that each area could operate independently,” he said.
CAFF is based at the UR Nyagatare campus, while CVAS operates from Musanze.
Dr. Ndikumana explained that separating the two colleges would allow each one to expand its programmes, improve access to specialised resources, and better align its activities with Rwanda’s development goals.
“It becomes easier for students studying similar programmes to be grouped together and provided with the equipment they need. This is important for a university because it creates a clear structure where resources and support can be directed where they are most needed,” he said.
As part of this expansion, UR Nyagatare is constructing a veterinary hospital under CAFF that is expected to become one of the most advanced veterinary facilities in the Great Lakes region.
The hospital is being built in Nyagatare because the Eastern Province is one of Rwanda’s major livestock farming areas. The facility will serve two key purposes: providing practical training for veterinary students and offering modern veterinary services to farmers.
Dr. Ndikumana said the hospital will play an important role in transforming veterinary healthcare in Rwanda.
“Today, we talk about advanced human healthcare, but in the coming years, Rwanda could also have advanced veterinary healthcare. We do not expect this hospital to be the only one. We expect it to be completed by the end of this year and begin operations next year,” he said.
The establishment of separate colleges has already contributed to growth in student enrolment. The number of students studying veterinary medicine has increased from fewer than 200 in the past to about 720 currently, and UR expects the figure to surpass 2,000 within the next four years.
The number of agriculture students has also increased, rising from about 3,600 to 4,150.
However, the increase in student numbers requires more qualified lecturers to ensure that the quality of education is maintained.
Dr. Ndikumana said UR is working to recruit more academic staff, including sending students abroad to specialise in veterinary medicine and return to teach at the university.
“Besides expanding infrastructure, we are making significant efforts to increase the number of lecturers. We are sending people abroad to study veterinary medicine so that they can return and teach. We have partnerships with universities in China, Japan, and the United States that will support this initiative,” he said.
The University of Rwanda was established in 2013 following the merger of the former National University of Rwanda and other public higher learning institutions.
The university currently has seven colleges operating across eight campuses, including three located in Kigali and five in different provinces across the country.
The University of Rwanda was established in 2013 following the merger of the former National University of Rwanda and other public higher learning institutions.
