Value chain support for smallholder farmers in Burundi

Constrained by limited access to resources, markets and finance, Burundi's smallholder farmers are experiencing a transformation through the PADANE project. This project, which aims to strengthen value chains, increase production and promote economic resilience, is reshaping the livelihoods of many, including 35-year-old Nicitegetse Francine. Once a subsistence farmer, Francine has become a community leader, reflecting the wider impact of PADANE's efforts to address systemic agricultural challenges.

Francine, who lives on Gahekenya Hill in Mwakiro commune, grows maize, beans and cassava. For years, she has faced the same obstacles that keep many rural farmers in poverty: poor access to quality inputs, inclusive finance and limited land. These challenges left her with barely enough to feed her family, and any potential surplus to sell seemed out of reach. However, her encounter with sunflower farming through PADANE in recent years has been a turning point.

A crucial intervention

The PADANE project (Projet d'Appui au Développement Agricole pour la Nutrition et l'Entrepreneuriat) is focused on integrating smallholder farmers into sustainable, functioning agricultural value chains. Since its inception, PADANE has organised farmers into cooperatives, improved their access to quality inputs, and linked them to reliable markets.

This comprehensive approach ranges from expanding production capacity to creating jobs for youth, improving food security, and providing inclusive financing models for farmers previously excluded from credit systems. However, the most transformative element of PADANE, particularly for farmers like Francine, is its emphasis on value chain development. In a country dominated by subsistence farming, the project aims to change the agricultural landscape by linking farmers directly to buyers, processors and markets. For Francine, this has meant a new opportunity in sunflower farming, which is now a cash crop for many farmers in Muyinga Province.

The Rusaka Group: A game changer in market access

A central player in the sunflower value chain is the Rusaka Group, founded in 2018 by entrepreneur Rusaka David in Muyinga's Gasorwe commune. The company imports high-quality sunflower seeds, distributes them to cooperatives, and processes the harvested seeds into sunflower oil for sale in local and regional markets.

For Francine and other farmers, working with the Rusaka Group has been transformative. Prior to the group's involvement, smallholder sunflower farmers struggled with inconsistent buyers and uncertainty about whether there was even a market for their crop. By providing inputs such as seed in advance and guaranteeing purchases, the Rusaka Group established a reliable value chain from seed to sale.

With co-investment from PADANE, the Rusaka Group was able to build infrastructure, including crop collection points closer to farmers. This has streamlined the logistics of getting crops to market, increasing the company's annual purchases of sunflower seed from 80 tonnes to over 1,000 tonnes and securing a stable market for thousands of smallholder farmers.

The road to success hasn't been easy

Francine recalls years of struggling to secure inputs and selling crops at prices that barely covered production costs. 'We didn't know if our hard work would pay off,' she says. 'Every season felt like a gamble.'

Systemic problems such as fragmented supply chains, lack of access to credit and poor infrastructure compounded these difficulties, preventing farmers from reaching their potential. Even when yields increased, many struggled to find buyers, resulting in surplus crops going to waste.

PADANE's intervention was timely. By organising farmers into cooperatives such as Francine's Dutezimbere Umwimbu ('Let's Increase the yield'), the project created a structure that allowed small-scale producers to pool resources, buy inputs in bulk and negotiate better terms with buyers. 'PADANE's support changed everything,' says Francine. 'For the first time, we knew we could not only grow our crops, but also sell them at a fair price.'

The ripple effect of value chain development

Francine's cooperative has seen significant benefits. In 2023, they harvested and sold 8.5 tonnes of sunflower seeds, while 13 other cooperatives in Muyinga Province collectively moved 82 tonnes of sunflower seeds. This marks a shift from traditional subsistence farming - these farmers are now embedded in a stable, growth-oriented value chain.

For the Rusaka Group, the benefits are equally clear. By working closely with farmers, it has expanded its processing capacity and diversified its products. The group's sunflower oil is in high demand in cities such as Bujumbura and Gitega, as well as across the Congo border. By-products from oil processing, such as seed cakes, are sold as animal feed, supporting local livestock farmers and creating a circular economy that benefits both crop and livestock producers.

A sustainable future for smallholder farmers

PADANE's success extends beyond individual farmers and crops. The project's inclusive financing models give smallholder farmers access to credit, enabling them to buy inputs and repay loans after the harvest. The project also promotes youth employment and gender equality, with women like Francine taking on leadership roles.

While challenges such as climate variability, land scarcity and persistent poverty remain, PADANE is proving that with targeted investment in value chain development, smallholder farmers can move away from subsistence farming and build sustainable livelihoods.

Francine's story is one of optimism and progress - a powerful testament to what can be achieved when agricultural value chains are developed with purpose and investment.