This pioneering initiative will improve access to finance over the next five years, contributing to scale up digital financial solutions and piloting insurance to 500,000 low-income farmers, including women, youth entrepreneurs.

By addressing the need for improved access to financial services and support for MSMEs in agriculture, the project aims to contribute to the creation of jobs and the sustainable and inclusive economic development of the sector.

The general objective is to test a tailor-made and innovative agricultural product for smallholder farmers and expand the loan products to rural areas.

The Executive Director of Association of Microfinance Institutions said that a total amount ranging between RWF 4 billion ($4M) and RWF 5 billion ($5M) has been channeled through microfinance institutions to help small businesses recover from COVID-19 effects.

The four-year partnership will help expand access to long-term local currency finance in Rwanda for key sectors such as housing, agribusiness, and smaller businesses.

In effort to safeguard employees and clients, the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR) instituted various measures to raise awareness about the virus and control its spread in the industry.

The National Bank of Rwanda has instructed mobile network operators to waive charges on all transfers with bank wallets, person-to-person and merchant fees on payments.