Rwanda
Since 1961, Rwanda's potato output has risen from less than 100 000 tonnes to a 1.3 million tonnes in 2005. The harvest in 2007 was only slightly smaller. Potatoes grow well in several parts of country - mainly above elevations of 1800 m - and some areas grow two crops a year. Most of potato sector consists of small family farms that intercrop potato with beans and maize, and yields average almost 10 tonnes per hectare.
The potato underpins Rwanda's food security. Annual consumption is a very high 125 kg per person, making potato the country's second most important source of calorie intake after cassava.
Currently, Rwanda has over 70,000 potato farmers grouped in 30 cooperatives that produce over 19, 000 tonnes monthly during the harvesting season.
Common potato varieties grown in Rwanda include: Kinigi, Kirundo, Mabondo, Cruza and Sangema and many others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Potatoes in Rwanda are grown mainly in the northern and northwestern highlands. Musanze, Nyabihu, Rubavu, Burera and Gicumbi are the main potato districts, linked to the volcanic plains and Buberuka Highlands, and potatoes are also grown in the south and west.
Rwanda's high elevation, cool temperatures, fertile volcanic soils and well-distributed rainfall make it one of Africa's best potato environments. The volcanic highlands around the Virunga mountains are especially productive for this important food and cash crop.
Rwanda's Northern Province is the leading potato-producing region. It includes the highly productive districts of Musanze, Nyabihu and Rubavu, where volcanic soils near the Virunga range support high potato yields.
Potatoes have been grown in Rwanda for nearly a century. FAO sources credit German missionaries with introducing them in the late 19th or early 20th century, while other accounts mention German soldiers and Belgian missionaries.
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This content was last updated on augustus 17, 2026
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