The Rwanda Agriculture Board (RAB) and the District of Gicumbi hosted a launch event to celebrate the successful implementation of a pilot phase of the Water Tanks Loan Project in Nyankenke, a sector in Gicumbi district. IPA Rwanda and J-PAL Africa’s policy teams have been working together to support the RAB in its implementation of the pilot project. Speakers at the event included Gicumbi's mayor and RAB's Director of Animal Production. Emily Cupito (Policy Manager, J-PAL Africa) and Jean Baptiste Nkinamubanzi (Finance Manager, IPA Rwanda) also spoke about the project to the over 400 local residents present at the event.

The Water Tanks Loan Project is based on evidence from a randomized evaluation conducted in Kenya by IPA and J-PAL affiliated researchers. It offers low-deposit, asset-collateralized loans  to dairy farmers to purchase discounted rainwater-harvesting tanks through a local Savings and Credit Cooperative.