Data Visualization

Blog of the Data Visualization & Communication Course at OSB-AUB

“This is my favorite part about analytics: Taking boring flat data and bringing it to life through visualization” John Tukey

From Landlocked to Limitless: Rwanda’s Coffee & Tea on the Global Market

From Landlocked to Limitless: Rwanda’s Coffee & Tea on the Global Market

by | Nov 21, 2025 | Uncategorized

Despite Rwanda being a landlocked country with limited natural resources, its greatest strength has never been geography, it has been innovation, resilience, and the ability to turn challenges into opportunities. What Rwanda lacks in physical access to the sea, it compensates for through strategic vision, and an unwavering commitment to development.

Over the past decade, the nation has built a strong reputation for exceptional agricultural exports, particularly its high-quality Arabica coffee, world-class tea, and premium horticulture products. These are more than just commodities; they are national symbols that reflect Rwanda’s identity, precision, quality, and craftsmanship refined in the hills of a country often called the Land of a Thousand Hills.

Today, as regional integration deepens and global markets expand, Rwanda stands at a pivotal moment. The country has the potential to unlock a new phase of growth, one powered by value-added exports and reduced dependency on costly imports. But realizing this opportunity requires a clear understanding of where Rwanda exports, what it exports, and the structural challenges that continue to shape its trade landscape.

 

 
The United Arab Emirates stands out as Rwanda’s largest export destination, a reflection of strong commercial ties and high demand for premium African agricultural products.

Close regional partners like DR Congo remain essential markets, while China, the United Kingdom, and Belgium anchor Rwanda’s presence in Asia and Europe.

This concentration highlights a key insight: Rwanda has proven demand for its products. The next step is to increase the volume and value of these exports through processing, branding, and new market entry.
 

 

Rwanda’s export story is built on the strength of its land, the hillsides that produce some of the world’s most sought-after Arabica coffee and the highlands that cultivate premium black tea.

These two commodities generate significant revenue and support thousands of families across the country. Yet, most of these products are exported raw, meaning Rwanda captures only a fraction of their global market value.

The opportunity is not to grow more, it is to export smarter.

 

 

In 2024, Rwanda imported 2.7 times more than it exported. This gap is driven primarily by:

  • Machinery from China
  • Fuel
  • Industrial materials
  • Manufactured goods

These are sectors where Rwanda still depends heavily on global supply chains.

 

Call To Action

Rwanda has already shown the world what is possible when a nation turns its challenges into strengths. Coffee, tea, and fruits have carried Rwanda’s identity to global markets, but now it is time to scale from agricultural strength to industrial power.

The path forward is clear:

  • Invest in value-added processing
  • Boost industrial capacity
  • Increase export competitiveness
  • Strengthen regional supply chains
  • Unlock new global markets

Rwanda has the talent, the quality, and the ambition.
With strategic investment and continued innovation, the country can close the trade gap and define a new era of growth powered by exports, strengthened by industry, and driven by resilience.

Herds to Income: A Data Story of Somali Livestock Markets

Herds to Income: A Data Story of Somali Livestock Markets

by | Nov 20, 2025 | Visualization

Livestock is at the centre of Somali livelihoods. For pastoral and agropastoral households, animals function as income and the foundation of daily life. This story uses data from 143 small ruminant producers across Hawd Pastoral, West Golis Pastoral, and Togdheer Agro-Pastoral zones to understand how households participate in markets and what shapes their earnings.

The first insight is clear: shoats (sheep and goats) overwhelmingly dominate household herds, making up more than 95% of all animals. Their fast reproduction, high demand, and fit within Somali grading practices make them the backbone of the livestock economy.

Market participation, however, is not equal across regions. Burao households report the highest livestock sales, while Oodweyne and Sheikh follow at lower levels. These differences point to variations in market access, infrastructure, and trading networks.

Inside households, decision-making plays a key role. Men make most livestock-selling decisions, but households where decisions are made jointly tend to earn more. This suggests that shared decision-making may support better timing of sales. Strengthening women’s involvement in these decisions could therefore improve household welfare.

Income also varies across livelihood zones. Hawd Pastoral households earn the highest revenue, followed by West Golis and Togdheer Agro-Pastoral. Pastoral households often maintain larger shoat herds and rely more heavily on indigenous grading systems, which helps them achieve stronger market outcomes.

Overall, this data shows how Somali families move from herds to income, and how geography, decision-making, and indigenous systems shape economic opportunities. These insights support ongoing efforts to improve market access, empower women, and strengthen local livestock systems for more resilient and sustainable livelihoods.