• Rwanda received 10 Holstein-Friesian dairy bulls from Germany, with 20 more due by April 2026.
• The imports are part of a $100 million IFAD-funded dairy project running from 2024 to 2029.
• Authorities aim to raise milk and meat yields through nationwide artificial insemination.

Rwanda’s National Agricultural and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB) said on January 21 it had received a first batch of 10 high-genetic-potential Holstein-Friesian dairy bulls imported from Germany.

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— Rwanda Agriculture & Animal Resources Devpt Board (@RwandaAgriBoard) January 21, 2026

The public agency said a second batch of 20 bulls is expected by April 2026. That shipment will include dairy breeds (Holstein-Friesian, Jersey and Brown Swiss) as well as beef breeds (Angus and Charolais).

Authorities said the acquisitions are part of Phase II of the Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP-2), launched in 2024. The project has a total budget of $100 million and is financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Covering the 2024–2029 period, the program aims to modernize and sustainably strengthen Rwanda’s dairy sector to increase productivity and improve milk quality.

Strengthening milk and meat production capacity

According to RAB, the imported bulls are intended to reinforce the national bovine artificial insemination program and accelerate genetic improvement in the livestock sector. The animals will be used to produce high-quality bovine semen for artificial insemination across the country, allowing faster dissemination of high-performance genetics without requiring farmers to buy costly breeding stock.

“The bulls were sourced from leading cattle breeders in Germany and possess the genetic potential to produce cows capable of yielding over 10,000 liters per of milk cow per lactation,” the agency said, adding that their arrival should expand access to high-quality semen, enabling farmers to build healthier and more productive dairy herds. By comparison, local dairy cattle breeds in Rwanda produce less than 1,000 liters of milk per cow per year. Semen from improved beef breeds is also expected to raise carcass yields in local herds.

A program launched in 2006

Rwanda’s livestock genetic improvement effort began in 2006 with the launch of the government’s “One cow per poor family” program, known locally as Girinka. The initiative introduced improved dairy breeds, including Holstein and Jersey cattle, to rural households.

Since then, the country has progressively structured crossbreeding, artificial insemination, and veterinary training programs. These efforts have been strengthened by initiatives such as the Rwanda Dairy Development Projects, now in their second phase, and the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation, currently in its fifth phase. Together, these programs have lifted milk and meat production over the past five years.

In its annual report published on December 31, 2025, the Ministry of Agriculture said national milk production rose by 29.3%, from 891,326 tons in 2021 to 1.15 million tons in 2025. Over the same period, livestock meat production increased by 25.5% to 219,523 tons.

Despite these gains, authorities say the sectors remain underexploited. Under the fifth phase of the Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation, Kigali aims to raise national milk output to 1.32 million tons by 2029 and meat production to 247,223 tons.

Stéphanas Assocle