Meet Uwase Cyuzuzo, young agripreneur with dreams of establishing a tree tomato wine plant

While some youth may not believe in the potential of farming and agriculture as a viable income-generating opportunity, there are young individuals like Uwase Cyuzuzo who are following their dreams in the Agribusiness career and witnessing the abundant and creative opportunities that can be harnessed by the youth.

Hailing from Musanze District in the Northern part of Rwanda, Uwase is a young lady with a burning passion for agriculture. Her main focus lies in cultivating tree tomatoes and beetroots, which she skillfully converts into a delightful beverage named “Dam Rich.” However, Uwase’s dreams don’t end there; she envisions establishing a sizeable factory that produces wine from these crops.

Contrary to the common belief that lack of capital can hinder participation in income-generating opportunities, Uwase firmly believes that with purpose and determination, even a small amount can be a starting point. She exemplifies this belief through her own journey, having initiated her agribusiness using the savings from financial aid received during her university scholarship. Besides producing wines, she also manufactures donuts and cookies using locally sourced ingredients like flour, eggs, fish, and milk.

Uwase is an active member of the Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness Forum (RYAF), a platform that brings together various youth organizations, individual youth farmers, and agricultural entrepreneurs. Through this forum and various training programs, she continues to work relentlessly towards her dream of operating her own factory. Currently, she is participating in the “National Agriculture Show,” held at Mulindi under the theme of “Transforming Agriculture into a Resilient Competitive Sector through Technology, Innovation, and Investment.”

For Uwase, engaging in agriculture holds great significance, as it provides her with hope and a sense of independence. She highlights the stark difference between working for someone else, earning a limited daily wage, and being self-employed, where her creativity and innovation come into play. With pride, Uwase assures consumers that the wine she manufactures is natural and available in two distinct varieties: red wine and white wine, both made with pineapple. The lack of excessive additives makes her wine unique and appealing to clients.

With a strong drive for continuous improvement, Uwase’s ultimate goal is to boost her productivity and establish her own factory, where she can produce wines and cookies on a larger scale. Her journey from starting with just 10 liters to reaching 200 liters is a testament to her potential and determination.

To ensure the quality and standards of her products, Uwase is diligently working towards obtaining licensing from the RSB Rwanda Standard Board.

On a monthly basis, Uwase produces between 30 to 50 liters of wine, and a single 75 cm bottle sells for Rwf8,000frw. However, she is open to scaling up production based on the demand from her growing customer base.

Uwase’s inspiration to pursue agriculture stems from her upbringing, as she witnessed her family engaged in farming and animal husbandry from a young age. Her educational background in food processing further fueled her interest in the domain. Social media has become a valuable tool for Uwase, helping her promote her products and raise awareness about the importance of agriculture.

In her efforts to build a successful enterprise, Uwase encourages her fellow youth to join her in the agriculture business path. She believes that organized and productive agribusinesses not only offer personal success but also create job opportunities for other young individuals.

Uwase Cyuzuzo’s story is an inspiring example of how passion, determination, and innovation can transform a young person’s dream into a thriving reality in the world of agribusiness. Her journey serves as a beacon of hope and encouragement for other young people to explore the vast opportunities that lie within the realm of agriculture.