Rwanda Private Sector Driven Agricultural Growth (PSDAG) Project Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Q3 Progress Report: April 1, 2018 – June 30, 2018

The project began in 2018 with the goal of improving agricultural productivity, increasing market access, and enhancing the competitiveness of Rwanda's agricultural sector. The PSDAG Project focuses on two main objectives: assisting the Government of Rwanda (GOR) to increase private sector investment and facilitating increased private sector investment to upgrade value chains. To achieve these objectives, the project has implemented various activities, including the development of an Agriculture Investment Databank, the creation of a Domestic Investor Pipeline, and the provision of technical assistance to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) and the Rwanda Development Bank (RDB). One of the key activities of the PSDAG Project is the support for private sector access to finance for agriculture investment. This includes providing technical assistance to agro-SMEs to access finance, facilitating access to finance for farmers through cooperatives and microfinance institutions, and building the capacity of financial institutions to increase agriculture lending. The project has also focused on increasing the provision of agriculture insurance and leveraging co-investment through the Value Chain Competitiveness Fund (VCCF). The PSDAG Project has established partnerships with various organizations, including the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD), the Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB) Rwanda, the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), and the USAID Rwanda Hinga Weze. These partnerships have enabled the project to leverage resources and expertise to achieve its objectives. The project has also implemented various monitoring and evaluation activities, including performance tracking and reporting, capacity building for private sector partners, and midterm performance evaluation. Additionally, the project has focused on social inclusion, communication, capacity building and knowledge management, and environmental compliance. The PSDAG Project has made significant progress in its first quarter, with several key milestones achieved. These include the development of an Agriculture Investment Databank, the creation of a Domestic Investor Pipeline, and the provision of technical assistance to MINAGRI and RDB. The project has also facilitated access to finance for farmers through cooperatives and microfinance institutions, and has increased the provision of agriculture insurance. The PSDAG Project is expected to continue making significant contributions to the development of Rwanda's agricultural sector in the coming quarters. With its focus on increasing private sector investment, improving agricultural productivity, and enhancing market access, the project is well-positioned to achieve its objectives and contribute to Rwanda's economic growth and development.