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A smallholder farming cooperative turns a season of loss into growth  

Solid’Africa

In Nyagatare district, farmers from the CORVNY cooperative saw their rice yields drop sharply after months of water shortages and hailstorms.

Instead of retreating, they regrouped. With Solid’Africa’s support, providing access to premium seeds, fertiliser and technical advice through its sustainable agriculture program, the cooperative managed to cut costs and build savings, and then made a bold decision.

Faced with the loss of nearly 15% of their harvest, the cooperative’s leaders made an unexpected choice. Rather than focusing only on recovery, they invested their limited savings to buy land and construct their first dedicated post-harvest drying area. Until then, members had relied on borrowed plots and temporary sheds to process their crops.

The new site closes a critical gap, protecting grain quality and income from future shocks.

The investment also marks a turning point: a move from subsistence farming to strategic planning. CORVNY already records the highest rice yields among nearby cooperatives, and this new infrastructure positions its 577 members for long term growth.

What began as a difficult season has become a lesson in resilience, proof that when local producers have the tools and autonomy to decide their own priorities, they can turn crisis into opportunity and build stronger food systems for the future.

Solid’Africa is reimagining food systems in Rwanda by linking smallholder farmers to a guaranteed market that supplies nutritious hospital and school meals. Through training in regenerative agriculture, the initiative helps farmers increase yields and household income while improving the quality and sustainability of food provided to patients and students. It’s a model that tackles poverty and malnutrition simultaneously, transforming local production into community health and resilience.

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