Rwanda

Known for high quality tea, Rwanda’s tea fetches high prices, and the market continues to grow rapidly.

The tea industry is a key export earner and the third largest employer in Rwanda.

Rwanda’s formal tea sector employs more than 60,000 workers, includes 80,000 informal workers, and provides livelihoods to more than 40,000 smallholder farmers.

There are 18 tea estates nationally, all working with smallholder farmers, who account for 60% of tea production. Rwanda is on its way to more than doubling its tea export value in just six years. 97% of Rwandan tea is exported.

ETP’s 2023-2025 Rwanda Country Plan aims to establish ETP as a partner to the National Agricultural Export Development Board, facilitate multi-stakeholder dialogues, and promote collective action to address the challenges facing the Rwandan tea sector.

Facts & figures

Economics
The average smallholder farmer income is far below the living income benchmark and Rwanda’s national poverty line.

Equality
Most women working informally in tea earn just 60% of men’s income in Rwanda.

Environment
Rwanda has experienced a 1.4°C increase in average temperature since 1970, greater than the global average.

Regional priorities

Projects
ETP’s projects build on previous work to uplift smallholder farmer productivity and quality management, and to encourage transformative leadership in the tea sector.

Private sector change
ETP will develop a pilot on responsible digital payments to address women’s lack of control of financial resources and encourage efficiency in the sector.

Policy
In 2024, ETP will complete a legislative and policy review and action plan to guide ETP’s policy work in Rwanda.

Rwanda Country Plan Executive Summary

Our initiatives in Rwanda

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2015–2022 | Status: Completed

Improving livelihoods – Strategic Alliance

Malawi, Rwanda |