The SERVE project aims to build a resilient, sustainable, equitable for women and girls, and inclusive entrepreneurial environment that increases dignified and fulfilling work opportunities for young people, particularly young women and girls, in agricultural value chains across Rwanda. It addresses the challenge of insufficient productive employment for Rwanda’s growing youth population, with about 78% of Rwandans being under 35 years old.

The project focuses on 4 main value chains: Tomatoes, Green Beans, Chilli pepper, and Poultry

Target Group & Reach: The primary target group for SERVE is young people aged 18-35 years, with a special focus on young women, refugees (3%), and people with disabilities (3%).

• Direct Reach: 20,000 established and 10,000 new Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) owners in productive agriculture and agribusiness.
• Indirect Reach: 50,000 seasonal and regular workers who will take up new fulfilling and dignified work opportunities within the strengthened and established MSEs.
• Overall Goal: To create 80,000 dignified and fulfilling jobs.

Key Results & How They Will Be Achieved: The project aims for key results including the sustainable growth of youth-led, especially female-led, agricultural MSEs, and a responsive, inclusive, and informed agricultural MSE policy and social norms environment. These results will be achieved through:

• Market-based agricultural productivity and diversification.
• Inclusive agricultural market linkages.
• Supply and uptake of co-created rural agricultural finance solutions.
• Improved agency and transformed social norms for youth and women MSEs.
• Inclusive, transparent, and accountable market actors.
• Effective policy dialogue between policymakers and duty bearers