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TABLE OF CONTENT
1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................... 2
2. OBJECTIVEs ...................................................................................................................................... 3
3. PARTNERS ......................................................................................................................................... 3
4. THEME OF THE SUMMIT .............................................................................................................. 3
5. AGENDA ............................................................................................................................................. 3
5.1. Introducing the YEAN Farmers Platform Summit ................................................................. 3
5.2. Overview presentation and introduction of YEAN .................................................................. 4
5.3. Presentation about YEAN Platform .......................................................................................... 5
5.4. Farmers testimonies .................................................................................................................... 5
5.5. Open discussion on selected topics ............................................................................................ 6
6. FINAL REMARK ........................................................................................................................... 7
7. 2018 FARMERS PLATFORM SUMMIT PARTNERS .............................................................. 8
8. SOME PICTUREs FROM THE SUMMIT ...................................................................................... 9
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YEAN FARMERS PLATFORM 2018 SUMMIT REPORT
1. INTRODUCTION
Youth Engagement in Agriculture Network (YEAN) is an Agriculture Extension social enterprise
that spreads agriculture information and facts to the community focusing on young people to lead
in transforming traditional subsistence agriculture into agribusiness. YEAN is hosting a network
of Young farmers, agronomist, investors and policymakers in agriculture (YEAN Community), a
network that we define as a new generation of professional farmers.
YEAN was created after realizing that local farmers needs information to learn new knowledge
and techniques to develop their career. YEAN shares stories from farmers to farmers, experts to
farmers and vice-versa to inspire youth in leading the change in Agriculture and skills development
that improves the living conditions of farmers for sustainable development. YEAN aims at
inspiring change for the pursuit of beauty and excellent in young agri-preneurs and the community.
It is in this regards that YEAN organized a one day “Farmer Platform Summit”, a way of bringing
farmers together in order to exchanging ideas and experience from farmers perspective in their
routine farming activities . It was the opportunity for the YEAN to launch officially the “Farmer
Platform and YEAN Community Network”.
Since its creation in 2014, YEAN attracted and served around 700 000 people on its website, where
250 scientific based agricultural articles were shared in Kinyarwanda, 1000 farmers on WhatsApp
groups, 2300 followers on twitter and 5000 people of Facebook. It also shared success stories
from young farmers and agronomists. YEAN social media channels have attracted attention to a
big number of farmers that has created a such nice YEAN Community of people sharing farming
information direct from owner to end user farmer.
The summit was organized in partnership with BDC (Business Development Center) and Rwanda
Youth in Agribusiness Forum , as a way of bringing together the youth farmers , equipped with
technical skills, doing agribusiness and providing the technical support services to the community
in the field of agriculture.
2018 Farmer Platform Summit was held in Kigali on 9th December 2018. About 83 farmers from
all around the country attended.
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2. OBJECTIVEs
1. Bring together young farmers for a one day summit
2. Offline meeting of young agri-preneurs2 in Rwanda
3. Official Launch of “YEAN Farmers Platform” and “YEAN Community Network”
3. PARTNERS
BDC (Business Development Center), RYAF (Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum),
AgriProfocus Rwanda, RDI (Rural Development Initiative), Go Ltd and Ihaze farmer’s center
company Ltd
4. THEME OF THE SUMMIT
English Version: Young Farmers a foundation to Professional Farming
Kinyarwanda Version: Urubyiruko rw’abahinzi-borozi, umusingi w’ubuhinzi-bworozi
bw’umwuga
5. AGENDA
5.1.Introducing the YEAN Farmers Platform Summit
YEAN Chairman opened the 2018 Farmer Platform Summit by thanking all YEAN community of
farmers members who came from different districts and partners that managed to attend the
Summit. He mentioned that the summit is in line with YEAN mission of bringing together farmers
and different stakeholders in agriculture sector to share knowledge, experience and ideas from
everyone’s routine farming activities and also to inspire others young people for the sake of
transforming agriculture and community livelihood through agriculture information sharing. He
advised all the participants in general to take advantage of the platform to network, share their
stories, and help each other in whatever challenges they face. Moreover, he added that the summit
will be an annual event and requested everyone to be part of it by giving any support to make it a
success.
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5.2.Overview presentation and introduction of YEAN
YEAN chairperson Mr. Arcade NSHIMIYIMANA shared the history of YEAN. He revealed that
YEAN was founded in 2014 by the initiative of its founder and CEO Mr. Etienne NIYIGABA
who is abroad for this studies. It was created to solve different problems that are being faced by
farmers in different rural communities of our country such as lack of reliable information and
knowledge about modern agriculture technologies and practices to develop career in agriculture
and transform tradition agriculture into agribusiness, poor access to the good market for the
production etc. I addition, YEAN was also founded to inspire young people to venture in
agribusinesses rather than taking agriculture as negligible activities or a curse but as a profitable
business. He shared a video message from YEAN CEO and founder Mr. NIYIGABA Etienne who,
in his remark talked about the mission and history of YEAN and requested everyone to give
his/her contribution towards transformation of the tradition agriculture into agribusiness led by
sharing information, knowledge and experience to help everyone in the sector to learn from each
other throughout using already established platforms that includes (Website, WhatsApp groups,
Facebook page and group, Twitter and Instagram).
The chairperson also shared its achievements since 2014 that includes:
1000 YEAN Community members (farmers)
Five online platforms (Website, Facebook page, Twitter handle, Instagram account and 3
WhatsApp groups) with more than 6000 followers
A weekly online open discussion called “UBUHINZI BWACU” where a selected topic is
given so that farmers share knowledge, ideas and stories to learn good agriculture practices,
experience, successes across the country.
Charitable action that supported one livestock farmer to have a one-year access to raw
glasses for feeding the cows.
Having 60 districts coordinator across the county , two people in every district
Created partnerships with different organizations and institutions
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5.3. Presentation about YEAN Platform
Mr. Fridolin Niyonsaba (YEAN IT) introduced five YEAN online platforms, which are: YEAN
Website, YEAN twitter, YEAN Facebook, YEAN Instagram and YEAN WhatsApp groups. These
YEAN online platforms are used to share information about agriculture activities that includes;
best farming practices, market information, knowledge sharing ideas, support on different charges
that member face on their daily farming activities. He then urged to all YEAN community of
farmers members to keep using all these platforms professionally and requested active
participation in YEAN activities especially exploring the website and use all the free opportunities
provided for them especially advertising, learning and more.
5.4.Farmers testimonies
Three-member shared testimonies on their journey in farming activities
1. Kizito BUCYANSENGA, a YEAN Community of farmers member shared a story of how
he decided to start chicken rearing farm in Muhanga, and the idea came up while he joined
YEAN whatsApp platform, he was inspired by what other farmers are doing and have
achieved. From there he consulted one farmer of YEAN community called Hassan and he
supported by providing him with the necessary skills, experience, materials and the
guidance needed to do the chicken rearing. He ended up starting with 300 chicken for meat
production and is now an expert. Kizito testified that the business is very promising and
planning to expand into a bigger business.
2. TUYIRINGIRE Germaine is a woman in YEAN community of farmers who also had the
courage to start a Chicken rearing farm in Rwamagana which was not an easy activity but
she strived and now she has the capacity to deliver 1000 chicken for anyone who would
request for chicken to grow. From YEAN community she learns from others and from the
platform she finds markets for her business. She encouraged other women to have
confidence, build their future in farming activities, and make it a profession because it is
very promising especially to youth.
3. NIYIMPA Gabriel is a member of YEAN Community of farmers and he has hibiscus
farming activity and processing factory of pineapple and hibiscus wine in Muhanga district.
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Being part of YEAN platform has helped him to find the suppliers of pineapple and he
believe this platform will be a channel that will help him find a market for his business. He
ended by encouraging the youth participants to explore opportunities in agriculture and
making farming their profession.
They all inspired their fellows and encouraged them to invest in agribusiness as it is a great
profitable business like other businesses that only requires passion and determination with a great
purpose. These farmers showed how YEAN platform is helping them in their journey through
learning and exploring opportunities existing within the platform and the sector.
5.5.Open discussion on selected topics
The time was provided for an open discussion about different topics already prepared and it was
a great time for participants to discuss as well as giving inputs on how well farmers can benefit
more from their activities. Herein mentioned are some of the main ideas from the discussion.
Young farmer a foundation to professional Farming: The summit participants took time to
share ideas and insights on how and why young farmer are the foundation to professional
farming.
Here below, some main causes were highlighted:
Because they have access to information quick information sharing tools and internet.
Youth are more energetic and can lead any transformative agenda once trusted.
Youth can practice agriculture professionally and make it a culture and legacy to
generations
Through the innovative thinking of young people, they can create more on farm and
off farm jobs.
Youth are the biggest part of Rwanda’s population and agriculture is the main economic
activity in Rwanda especially in country side areas
Role of YEAN community of farmers towards a professional agriculture
Facilitate access to information
Facilitate linkages between different stakeholders in agriculture sector
Accommodation for different experts in agriculture
Give a contribution in agriculture policy making and market price setting for farm
produce.
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Advocacy to challenges faced by farmers in their routine farm works.
Farming information sharing
Participants shared their thoughts and inputs on how farming information is disseminated
across the network:
Keep feeding YEAN online platforms with reliable updated farming information
Sharing and introducing new crops that can be grown in Rwanda with potential
international and local market.
Initiating and strengthening crops value chain to help farmers in professionalizing their
activities
YEAN community members requested that they could be facilitated in linkage to
potential markets.
Continuing advocacy to the government to set up an Agriculture Bank that can serve
that can facilitate farmers in their activities.
Farmers’ potential needs and challenges to overcome
Advocacy to the government to set up an Agriculture Bank that can facilitate farmers
in their activities.
Advocacy in price setting of farm produces.
To increase the quality and timely available inputs to maximize the yield quality and
quantity of local farmers
Local supermarkets, hotels and restaurants are still importing significant amount of
produces that can be grown locally.
6. FINAL REMARK
The final remark was presented by the Chairman of Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum
(RYAF) who took time to thank everyone who attended the summit and also highly appreciated
the contribution of YEAN on agriculture development and agribusiness development. He further
mentioned that due to a well performance and its great contribution to the development of the
sector, YEAN chairperson was selected to be on board of RYAF committee as head of Input and
Agro services cluster to keep providing his contribution towards agribusiness development. He
advised the participants to keep working hard to transform Rwandan agriculture.
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7. 2018 FARMERS PLATFORM SUMMIT PARTNERS
The Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF): is a registered national forum
mandated to change the current perception youth among the youths vis-à-vis the agriculture
sector in Rwanda, while orienting them to seize business and investment opportunities in the
sector through awareness creation, skills development, advocacy and support services.
Business Development Center (BDC) is the center that prepare and nurture entrepreneurs to
start and grow businesses with ethical values in Rwanda.
Rural Development Initiative (RDI) is non-governmental organization(NGO) created to
serve individuals and families in the poorest communities by creating sustainable income and
livelihood opportunities through promoting youth innovations that create positive changes in
communities.
Go Ltd: is the company that provide ICT solution to farmers. Go ltd digitize agriculture
through the application AgriGO designed to boost agriculture productivity by allowing a
farmer receiving and following crop calendar practices while recording the monetary cost
involved through mobile
AgriProfocus Rwanda: As a network, AgriProfocus is a neutral convener, bringing together
agri-preneurs, private sector companies, civil society organizations, knowledge institutes and
governments together around specific questions, issues and opportunities. AgriProfocus
organize and facilitate the place for members to meet and work, learn and influence together.
IHAZE FARMER’S CENTER COMPANY Ltd : is a youth-owned private company that is
working on crop & livestock production; advisory services provision, climate change
mitigation & adaptation through agroforestry, urban forestry and other sustainable practices in
Rwanda.
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8. SOME PICTUREs FROM THE SUMMIT
Young farmers
happy to meet for
the first Farmers
Platform Summit
The summit
room was full of
participants
despite a rainy
day
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Participants tasted
new products from
their peers
RYAF Chairman
HATEGEKIMANA
Jean Baptiste
delivering the final
remark
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Group Photo
of
participants
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We thank you for your participation in the
2018 Farmers Platform Summit
We hope to see you soon in
2019 Farmers Platform Summit
If you want to partner in the
2019 Farmers Platform Summit
Contact us:
Tel: +250 788 845 727
E-mail: [email protected]
