Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture

Name

Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture

Legal name

Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture

Website

https://rica.rw

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education in Conservation Agriculture

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Support Activities for Crop Production (11511)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAOAOAN

Agribusiness, Farm Management & Compliance

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

SECONDARYEDAOAOAO

Sustainable/Regenerative Agriculture & Conservation Practices

Education/Vocational, Technical & Trade Education/Agriculture, Horticulture & Skilled Trades

SECONDARYEDABALAA

Agriculture & Food Production

Education/Corporate Training & Professional Development/Industry-Specific Professional Training (e.g., Healthcare, Manufacturing, Construction)

Keywords

• Conservation agriculture education
• Agricultural higher education
• Applied agricultural research
• Farmer extension training
• Agribusiness professional development

Headquarters

HQ city

Kigali, Kigali

HQ country

Rwanda

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Educational Programs: RICA generates revenue through tuition and fees associated with its accredited Bachelor of Science degree program in conservation agriculture. Students earn internationally recognized credentials across a three-year curriculum.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

RICA delivers a three-year accredited Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation Agriculture, blending classroom academics, hands-on farming on a living laboratory campus, and real-world internships across commercial farming, agribusiness, government, and international organizations. The institute also provides applied research and extension training to farmers, agronomists, and government agricultural officers across Rwanda, funded and supported through its Department of Extension and Applied Research.

Product overview

RICA offers a single unified educational offering: a Bachelor of Science degree in Conservation Agriculture delivered over three years. The program integrates classroom learning, hands-on field experience, and applied scientific research through a living laboratory campus approach. The core product suite includes the degree program, specialized study areas, internship opportunities, and research/extension services. RICA positions itself as a cutting-edge research and learning institution focused on developing champions for conservation agriculture across Rwanda and the African continent.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor of Science in Conservation Agriculture Three-year undergraduate degree program for prospective students, combining classroom learning, hands-on field experience, and applied scientific research in conservation agriculture practices. Graduates earn an internationally accredited Bachelor of Science credential and pursue careers in commercial farming, agribusiness, government, and international organizations.
• Research and Extension Projects Applied scientific research and extension services supporting agricultural transformation in Rwanda and Africa, funded annually through calls for research and extension project ideas issued by the Department of Extension and Applied Research. Projects advance conservation agriculture practices among Rwanda's farming communities and partner organizations.
• Conservation Agriculture Training and Extension Programs for Farmers and Extension Agents Training services delivered to Rwandan farmers, District Agriculture Officers, model farmers, and institutional staff covering conservation agriculture principles, Farmer Field School facilitation, value addition and food processing, and good agricultural practices. Delivered at RICA Campus and the Kofi Boa Extension Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduates pursue careers in commercial farming, agribusiness, government, and international organizations following completion of the BSc program.

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• FAO RwandacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025FAO Rwanda signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA) with RICA and collaborates on multiple training and research initiatives including the Mechanization Open Day (with RAB and GIZ), value addition training for food processing practitioners, and the SAM/FFS Pilot Project launch.
• GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 August 2025GIZ collaborates with RICA on agricultural mechanization initiatives, including the Mechanization Open Day co-hosted with FAO Rwanda and Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB), and the Farmer Field School Facilitators' Training on Sustainable Agriculture Mechanization.
• Government of RwandacoreOthersThe Government of Rwanda is a founding partner of RICA, providing institutional support, policy alignment, and operational framework as a state-supported higher education institute. The government-affiliated Nasho Irrigation Cooperative also collaborates directly with RICA's campus and programs.
• Nasho Irrigation CooperativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Nasho Irrigation Cooperative is listed as an affiliate of RICA and provides a real-world irrigation and cooperative farming environment adjacent to the RICA campus, enabling hands-on student training in irrigation management and cooperative agriculture operations.
• Equity Bank Rwanda and Equity Group FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEquity Bank Rwanda and Equity Group Foundation visited RICA's campus in February 2026 and again in December 2025 alongside IFAD, indicating a development partnership focused on agricultural finance and youth empowerment in the agribusiness sector.
• World Vision RwandaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorld Vision Rwanda's leadership visited RICA's campus in July 2026, indicating potential collaboration in areas of food security, agricultural development, and community outreach programs.
• Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRAB collaborates with RICA on conservation agriculture training for its CIP Focal Persons and Directors of Agriculture and Animal Resources (DANRs), and co-hosts the Mechanization Open Day with FAO Rwanda and GIZ.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• University of Rwanda - College of Agriculture, Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine: The University of Rwanda is the country's flagship public university with a dedicated agriculture college, producing a large share of Rwanda's agricultural graduates. RICA competes with it for students and partnerships, though RICA's specialization in conservation agriculture is differentiated.
• Gulu University - Faculty of Agriculture and Environment: Gulu University in northern Uganda offers agriculture and environment programs with applied, community-based learning. It is comparable to RICA as a regional agricultural sciences institution emphasizing community impact in a developing-country context.
• Egerton University: Egerton University in Kenya is one of East Africa's oldest agricultural universities with a Faculty of Agriculture and a strong focus on smallholder farmer outreach. It is comparable to RICA's conservation agriculture and farmer extension orientation.

Direct peers

• EARTH University: EARTH University in Costa Rica is a private, non-profit higher education institution offering a four-year BSc in Agriculture with a strong focus on sustainability, conservation, and applied field practice. It is the closest international analogue to RICA's living laboratory model and conservation agriculture mission.
• African Leadership University: ALU is a private pan-African higher education institution with campuses in Mauritius and Rwanda, offering applied undergraduate programs. It is comparable to RICA as a private, internationally backed higher education institution operating in Rwanda and focused on leadership development.
• Ashesi University: Ashesi University in Ghana is a private, foundation-supported liberal arts and sciences university with strong emphasis on leadership and entrepreneurship. It is comparable to RICA as a privately funded African institution emphasizing values-driven, applied education.
• Africa University: Africa University in Zimbabwe offers agriculture and natural resources programs within a pan-African, internationally affiliated higher education context. It is comparable to RICA as a regional agricultural sciences institution with strong foundation backing.

Broad incumbents

• Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology: JKUAT in Kenya is a major public university with a strong agriculture and technology mandate. It is comparable to RICA's applied agricultural education orientation, though at significantly larger scale and broader scope.
• Sokoine University of Agriculture: Sokoine University of Agriculture in Tanzania is a long-established public university specializing in agriculture, forestry, and veterinary sciences. It is comparable to RICA in its East African agricultural higher education focus, though at much larger scale and broader scope.

Emerging players

• University of Global Health Equity: UGHE is a private, foundation-supported health sciences university in Rwanda with a strong equity and applied learning mission. While focused on health rather than agriculture, it is comparable to RICA as a privately funded, mission-driven higher education institution operating in Rwanda.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/rica_rwanda?lang=en
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@RICARwanda/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/rica.education.rw
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ricarwanda
• Instagraminstagram.com/rica_rwanda/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@rica.rwanda

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture