Rwanda's fish industry recorded strong growth in the 2024/2025 financial year, buoyed by expanded hatchery capacity, stronger farmer cooperatives and efforts to cut the cost of fish feed, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (Minagri).
In its annual report released recently, Minagri shows that fish production rose to 52,439 tonnes in 2025, up from 48,133 tonnes in 2024, extending a steady upward trend over the past five years. Output stood at 32,756 tonnes in 2020 and has increased every year since.
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The livestock and fisheries sub-sector remains an important pillar of the economy, contributing about 15.2 per cent of agricultural gross domestic product (GDP) and roughly 4 per cent of national GDP.
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Minagri says recent investments in aquaculture have improved productivity while boosting farmer incomes.
Growth in aquaculture has largely been driven by the formation of new cooperatives and better access to quality inputs. During the year, 1,737 fish farmers were trained in good aquaculture practices, including 57 facilitators and 1,680 cooperative members operating in clustered production systems.
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In addition, 26 farmers were trained on the use of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) as an alternative protein source in fish feed--an innovation aimed at reducing reliance on expensive imported fish meal.
Fish output has risen consistently in recent years, from 36,047 tonnes in 2021 to 43,560 tonnes in 2022 and 46,495 tonnes in 2023. Under the fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5), the government targets annual fish production of 77,700 tonnes by 2029.
Hatchery production also expanded significantly. In the 2024/2025 financial year, Rwanda's hatcheries produced 71,661,465 fish fingerlings, with output more than doubling between the first and fourth quarters.
Kivu Choice hatchery in Gisagara District led production, supplying 37,550,390 fingerlings--about 52.4 per cent of national output. It was followed by Fine Fish and Fresh Fish in Rwamagana District, which produced 11,887,750 and 9,629,895 fingerlings respectively. Other contributors included Kivu Tilapia in Rusizi, Lake Side in Bugesera and Gishanda hatchery in Kayonza.
Production of marketable, table-size fish totalled 52,439,227 kilogrammes during the year. Output peaked in the third quarter at nearly 15 million kg before falling to about 9.9 million kg in the fourth quarter, a decline attributed to seasonal and operational factors affecting harvests.
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Training remained a priority for the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB). The agency trained 19 master trainers working with the Rwanda Animal Resources Improvement Cooperative (RARICO), who in turn supported facilitators and farmers on feeding practices, disease control, record keeping and marketing.
Research into alternative feeds has also shown promise. A study on pond-reared Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) found that black soldier fly larvae meal can replace up to 75 per cent of conventional fish meal without affecting growth, offering a more affordable option for smallholder producers.
Farmers say rising production is already helping to stabilise prices. Themistocles Munyangeyo, chief executive officer of Fine Fish, said improved supply has begun to ease pressure on the market.
"The price of tilapia has fallen from about Rwf4,800 per kilogramme in mid-September to around Rwf4,200 now, mainly because production has improved," Munyangeyo said.
Benjamin Bizima, commercial director at Kivu Choice, which accounts for more than half of national fish production said sustained investment and accumulated experience are key drivers of growth, with the company targeting to double output in 2026.
"The main boosters of fish production are the measures in place to increase output, including continued investment and the experience we have built in the sector," Bizima said.
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He added that improved access to financing has helped reduce production costs, allowing producers to pass savings on to consumers. "As production increases, the cost per unit goes down. That benefits consumers through lower prices," he said.
Bizima noted that more flexible packaging is also encouraging consumption. "We now offer packages as small as 100 grammes, which makes fish more accessible to more people," he said.
According to Bizima, prices have dropped further in recent months. "About four months ago, a kilogramme was selling at around Rwf4,800, but now it is about Rwf4,000," he said.
Looking ahead, Kivu Choice plans to expand its distribution centres to bring fish closer to consumers. "We want to increase the number of centres so people do not have to travel long distances to access fish," Bizima said.
On challenges, he cited climate variability but said its impact has so far been manageable. "Climate change sometimes affects growth cycles, but government support is there, and it has not affected us much," he said.
