At the celebrations held in Nyagatare District to mark the International Day of Cooperatives, the Muvumba P8 Rice Growers Cooperative was awarded as the overall best-performing cooperative in the district. This year’s event was celebrated under the theme: “Cooperatives: A Pathway to Inclusion and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World.”
Muvumba P8 Cooperative, known for rice farming in the Muvumba marshland, received the 2025 award for excellence based on good governance, proper financial management, quality service delivery, and commitment to improving the welfare of its members.
Jean Claude Ruhumuriza Rwihimba, President of the Muvumba P8 Cooperative, said the award motivates them to continue uplifting their members and taking the lead in investment initiatives. He revealed that plans are already in place to implement major projects, including the construction of a community-benefit hotel that will increase the cooperative’s income and create jobs for local residents.
He said:
“We don’t take this award as recognition of past achievements only, but as motivation to be even more ambitious. We are prepared to launch a major project to build a hotel that will boost the economic welfare of our members and the district as a whole.”
The Nyagatare District Vice Mayor in charge of Economic Development, Gonzage Matsiko, urged cooperatives to continue prioritizing the development of their members. He reminded them that cooperatives play a critical role in the country’s development.
He stated:
“The country cannot operate based on performance targets while cooperatives fail to work towards their own goals. A cooperative that does not improve the lives of its members cannot contribute meaningfully to national development. When you build a strong cooperative, you build the nation and support citizens to progress.”
In awarding the top-performing cooperatives, evaluators considered governance, financial management, and the level of member participation. Four cooperatives received awards.
Nyagatare District has 235 registered cooperatives with a total of 98,634 members, including 64,437 men and 34,197 women. These cooperatives operate in various sectors such as agriculture, livestock, service delivery, value addition, crafts, SACCOs, and others.
Additionally, Nyagatare is home to cooperatives that continue to excel at national level. For example, in 2025, the CODERVAM Cooperative comprising rice farmers from Rukomo Sector received an award as the best-performing cooperative in the Eastern Province for its outstanding contribution to improving the livelihoods of its members.
