Like most of rural Rwanda the economy of Gisagara district is dominated by cultivation and cattle breeding. More than 90% are either cultivators or cattle breeder or are doing both at a subsistence level..

The four main crops grown in this district are rice, coffee, maize, and cassava. Rice is grown in all worked out swamps (1500) and 40% of the population are employed in Gikonko rice-processing factory. There are six rice-growing cooperatives regrouped into the rice-growing cooperatives union of Butare (UCORIBU). Arabica coffee comes second one among the main cash crops.

Rice plantation in Ngiryi area

Owing to huge potential in the production of exportable specialty coffee two Coffee Washing Stations have just been set up. Coffee Washing Stations have been identified as a necessary condition for a successful penetration into the multimillion-dollar Specialty Coffee market in the EU and US.

Gikonko rice-processing factory

These Coffee Washing Stations will be processing coffee cherries harvested from the current 2716820 coffee trees and some more than 200.000 trees that the district will be planting this year.

Ndahimana Isaie’s Musha coffee washing station

Projects working to Improve Agriculture in the District