Building Smallholder Farmers Resilience in Kayonza District: A Case Study of Starlit Project

Kayonza district is a drought prone area in Eastern Rwanda. The district has been experiencing rainfall shortage and food insecurity for the past few years. The STARLIT (Strengthening Agricultural Resilience through Learning and Innovation) project is an IFAD-China SSTC Facility funded initiative which aims to strengthen the resilience of farmers in the maize value chain in Kenya and Rwanda.

The project supports farmer organizations by improving leadership and management processes, accessing agri-equipment and agri-loans, and providing digital extension services. STARLIT contributes to local youth empowerment by engaging them as key stakeholders in the agricultural value chain.