GAIN and partners, including the Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Business Network (co-convened by the World Food Programme (WFP)), undertook a survey of food system SMEs in Rwanda in October/November 2020, aiming to assess the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and associated control measures on their businesses and their support needs.
This survey follows one in May 2020, results of which are available here.
- 47 responses were received, with most being from micro- or small-sized firms; respondents were primarily processors
- and within the vegetable value chain.
- 98% reported that the pandemic had an immediate impact on their business. The main impacts cited by firms included decreased sales (78%), difficulty accessing financing (44%), and difficulty accessing inputs (42%).
- For most firms, impacts had lessened over time; about 35% of firms reported that their business was essentially ‘back
- to normal’.
- 89% reported changing their production volume as a result of the pandemic, and 91% reported changing their
- product price as a result of the pandemic.