CIPS backs EU-funded project on gender equality and sustainable farming in Rwanda

31 March 2025

ActionAid, an international charity dedicated to tackling gender inequality, is working with women farmer cooperatives in Rwanda to strengthen their sustainable farming skills. The project is supported by grants from the European Union and the CIPS Foundation, a linked charity to the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply (CIPS).

Research from the charity reveals that 70% of the population in Rwanda is engaged in farming, yet 40% of fresh harvest perishes and goes to waste. One-fifth of the population faces food insecurity, while women farmers face particular disadvantages within agricultural supply chains. They often have limited access to improved agricultural inputs and are cut off from finance schemes and markets.

The three-year project is funded by the EU and CIPS. It is being implemented by ActionAid Rwanda and Tubibe Amahoro and will support  women smallholder farmers in Rwanda to reduce post-harvest losses and boost farm incomes through improved access to profitable local markets.

The project, is one of 15 projects under the ‘KUNGAHARA Framework’ launched in 2023 by the European Union Delegation to Rwanda. This is part of the EU’s response to the global food security crisis and economic shocks in African, Caribbean and Pacific countries, exacerbated by Russia's war against Ukraine.

It will support an estimated 1.7 million people through strengthening food production systems, connecting 3,300 women farmers through 110 cooperatives and benefitting over 110,000 school children through school-feeding schemes.

A CIPS Foundation grant of £60,000 will contribute towards year two of the project, alongside funding from the European Union. This will focus on equipping women smallholder farmers’ cooperatives with better tools, technology, and knowledge of sustainable farming techniques.

Ben Farrell, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), said: “Being able to support ActionAid through the CIPS Foundation aligns with CIPS core values around creating a sustainable future, both in environmental impact and future growth for businesses.

"Smallholders will be equipped with the right supply chain management skills and knowledge to build a more sustainable business and secure a better future for themselves and generations to come."

CIPS Foundation funding to empower sustainable solutions

The first year of the project has already made significant strides to addressing structural issues within supply chains, says ActionAid. 
 
So far, the charity has provided training for 330 women farmers to boost farm production; produced over 300,000 sustainable tree and fruit tree seedlings distributed to 2,200 people; and linked 3,300 farmers with financial institutions to improve access to finance.
 
“In the first year of the project, we achieved significant milestones, all of which have proven beneficial to us. We are committed to sustaining these achievements because they are invaluable to our farming communities,” explains one of the women farmers who have been involved in the project. "We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the European Union (EU), ActionAid Rwanda (AAR), and CIPS, who have continuously supported us in the field."
 
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the European Union (EU), ActionAid Rwanda (AAR), and CIPS, who have continuously supported us in this field for a number of years. As we move forward, we are optimistic about continued progress and development. We understand where we started and the impact we have achieved so far. In the coming years, we are determined to make full use of the resources and knowledge provided to us, ensuring that these benefits are not taken for granted.”
 
The CIPS Foundation funding towards year two of the project will help support 110 women farmers’ cooperatives through training in sustainable skills and technologies.

This funding will contribute towards year two activities such as:

• Providing training on the use of human-powered irrigation pumps and establishing five demonstration plots
• Facilitating improved supply chain management, especially activities to improve post-harvest management, such as storage, packaging and market management
• Supporting the marketing efforts of the cooperatives by negotiating contract farming agreements with 55 schools under the National School Feeding Program
• Promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture and encouraging balanced dietary practices among 3,330 women small-scale farmers
• Training for women farmers in a variety of areas, such as agroecology, how to use agri-inputs, business management, negotiation and advocacy.

Each year, the CIPS Foundation offers funding opportunities to charities that are committed to improving supply chains and ethical and sustainable standards around the world.

It will support an estimated 1.7 million people through strengthening food production systems, connecting 3,300 women farmers through 110 cooperatives and benefitting over 110,000 school children through school-feeding schemes.

A CIPS Foundation grant of £60,000 will contribute towards year two of the project, alongside funding from the European Union. This will focus on equipping women smallholder farmers’ cooperatives with better tools, technology, and knowledge of sustainable farming techniques.

Ben Farrell, CEO of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS), said: “Being able to support ActionAid through the CIPS Foundation aligns with CIPS core values around creating a sustainable future, both in environmental impact and future growth for businesses.