Rwanda’s rural communities face dual challenges—declining soil fertility and an over-reliance on polluting biomass fuels like firewood and charcoal. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly all of Rwanda's population (98.5%) depends on polluting fuels, especially firewood and charcoal, for their cooking needs. Agriculture employs two-thirds of the population and accounts for 25% of the GDP. Yet, small-scale farmers, who make up 80% of Rwanda's agricultural output, are trapped in a cycle of low productivity due to soil erosion, poor farming techniques, and the impacts of climate change. At the same time, rural households rely on traditional biomass for cooking, which negatively impacts health and contributes to deforestation.
Envocare, a Rwandan startup, addresses these challenges with a circular, climate-smart model that combines waste-to-resource processing with digital-enabled access to sustainable biochar fertilizers and clean biofuels. Envocare is increasing affordability, access, and climate resilience for vulnerable populations by integrating financial technology into its distribution and traceability systems.
Envocare’s biochar—produced through pyrolysis of agricultural waste—is a powerful organic fertilizer that enriches soil, improves water retention, and sequesters carbon. In Rwanda, where over 50% of arable land is affected by acidity, biochar offers a cost-effective alternative to chemical fertilizers.
Through partnerships with cooperatives and off-takers, Envocare digitizes procurement and payments, enabling farmers to pay for biochar in installments or via mobile money. This fintech layer improves affordability and reduces financial risk for smallholders, especially women, who face systemic barriers to finance.
One such farmer, Marie from Ruhango District, saw her rice yields grow from 2.95 to 6.8 tonnes per season after adopting Envocare’s biochar. She was also able to sell her rice husks back to Envocare, creating a new income stream while reducing on-farm waste.
“With EnvoCare’s help, I now have a thriving rice farm that has more than doubled my yields from 2.95 tonnes up to 6.8 tonnes per season.” - Marie – Rice Farmer in Ruhango District
Beyond agriculture, Envocare addresses a critical health and environmental issue—traditional wood fuel use. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 98.5% of Rwandans rely on firewood and charcoal for cooking, which contributes to household air pollution, respiratory illnesses, and deforestation. Envocare’s biofuel briquettes, made from the same agricultural waste, burn cleaner and last twice as long as traditional hardwood charcoal. These biofuels reduce emissions by up to 60%, release 72% less CO, and 88% less PM2.5, providing a safer, more efficient alternative for rural families.
These clean fuels are particularly valuable for women and children, who are most exposed to household air pollution. By integrating digital ordering and distribution tracking, Envocare plans to unlock last-mile delivery and usage data collection, supporting targeted affordability programs and carbon credit traceability.
Envocare’s model actively engages farmers as both suppliers and consumers. Its partnership with major agri-offtakers and corporatives already gives Envocare access to over 25,000 farmers and smallholders. Smallholders sell waste such as maize cobs and rice husks to Envocare—creating secondary income—and receive discounted biochar and biofuel in return. This model builds a resilient, regenerative loop where waste is monetized, soil is improved, and clean energy is accessible.
Digital tools, such as supply tracking systems and mobile payments, enable efficiency and transparency across the value chain. Rwanda’s strong mobile-money-powered market offers a unique opportunity for a near-term fintech integration that will allow Envocare to scale rapidly and reach farmers in hard-to-access rural areas.
While Envocare’s biochar sequesters 1.4 to 3 tonnes of CO₂ per tonne, the company’s impact goes beyond mitigation. Biochar improves soil moisture retention, helping farmers adapt to unpredictable rainfall and drought. Biofuel briquettes reduce pressure on forests, supporting environmental adaptation at the community level.
By 2030, Envocare’s current 20,000 MT production capacity will allow it to:
As Rwanda and other developing nations grapple with the impacts of climate change, Envocare’s contribution to carbon sequestration positions it as a vital actor in building local climate resilience through inclusive, technology-enabled systems.
At the heart of Envocare’s model is the potential to integrate a fintech layer that makes climate-resilient products more accessible, affordable, and inclusive for smallholder farmers. In Rwanda and across parts of Sub-Sahara Africa, financial exclusion remains a major barrier—especially for rural women, youth, and landless farmers who struggle to afford fertilizers or clean fuel upfront.
To overcome this, Envocare is exploring embedding digital and financial tools into its operations:
As Envocare scales, this fintech layer will support risk-sharing mechanisms, data-driven eligibility for financial services, and bundled inputs plus financing solutions. Together, these tools will strengthen climate resilience by enabling more equitable access to regenerative inputs, particularly for the most vulnerable farming communities.
Envocare's innovative waste upcycling model is transforming challenges into opportunities. By providing affordable biochar to improve soil fertility and cleaner biofuels to reduce environmental pollution, Envocare is building resilience for Rwanda's rural dwellers. Through these sustainable products, smallholder farmers and rural households are empowered to improve their livelihoods while contributing to a healthier environment for future generations.
UNIDO supports the Catalyst Fund via the “Acceleration of Financial Technology Enabled Climate Resilience Solutions” project funded by the Global Environment Facility and executed by BFA Global in collaboration with the implementing entity, UNIDO. Operating in five African countries—Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, and Uganda—the project aims to foster the growth of fintech-enabled climate resilience solutions positively impacting the well-being of vulnerable communities.
Read more from our team at Catalyst Fund
