On December 2, 2024, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) - Rwanda Strategy Support Program in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI), hosted a high-level event at the Park-Inn Hotel in Kigali under the theme STRENGTHENING RWANDA’S FOOD SYSTEMS: RESEARCH-DRIVEN INSIGHTS FOR ENHANCED POLICY MAKING. This gathering of policymakers, researchers, and development partners emphasized the critical role of evidence-based strategies in advancing Rwanda’s agricultural transformation agenda. The discussions were guided by Rwanda’s 2nd National Strategy for Transformation (NST-2), which envisions modernized, sustainable, and market-oriented farming to achieve 6% annual agricultural growth. Closely aligned with this vision is Rwanda's Fifth National Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 5) for 2024–2029. PSTA 5 focuses on increasing productivity, enhancing market access, and building resilience across food systems, positioning agriculture as a central driver of sustainable economic growth.
Dr. James Warner, Research Fellow and Program Leader for IFPRI’s Rwanda Strategy Support Program (SSP), highlighted MINAGRI and IFPRI’s longstanding collaboration since PSTA 1. He emphasized the Rwanda SSP’s critical role in advancing agricultural transformation, including supporting PSTA 4 through evidence-based insights and contributing empirical studies to shape PSTA 5. Dr. Warner reiterated the program's commitment to supporting the implementation of PSTA 5 by facilitating monitoring and evaluation, addressing systemic challenges, and responding to shocks such as climate change and market volatility, ensuring PSTA 5 delivers sustainable and impactful results. He also emphasized IFPRI's future plans to leverage national and global food price data to strengthen food price monitoring, enhance market resilience, and inform nutrition-sensitive policies, further advancing Rwanda’s food systems transformation.
Dr. Steven Were Omamo, IFPRI’s Director of Development Strategies and Governance Unit, delivered an insightful keynote address, underscoring the pivotal role of targeted interventions and evidence-based policies in addressing systemic challenges and promoting sustainable economic growth. He reiterated IFPRI's steadfast commitment to partnering with the Government of Rwanda in advancing sustainable and resilient food systems. Dr. Omamo commended the Rwanda IFPRI office for its exceptional contributions to the nation's agricultural development and extended his profound gratitude to the organization’s esteemed partners, including MINAGRI, The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the European Union (EU), and the Mastercard Foundation. He assured ongoing support from IFPRI in Rwanda’s ambitious journey toward food systems transformation, emphasizing the importance of collaborative efforts in shaping a sustainable future for the country’s agricultural sector.
The main event featured presentations from IFPRI’s research team highlighting critical components of Rwanda’s agricultural and food systems. The initial three presentations were delivered by Senior Research Analysts from IFPRI Rwanda. Serge Mugabo, explored strategies to diversify rural incomes, a critical element in reducing vulnerability among Rwanda smallholder farmers [Explore the full study here]. Gilberthe Benimana, presented a framework for identifying farm typologies, which can guide resource allocation and improve intervention targeting in Rwanda. [Discover more about this study here]. Josue Niyonsingiza’s presentation focused on quantifying food losses and their causes for Rwanda’s bean value chain actors and offered actionable recommendations to mitigate these losses and enhance food security. [Access the complete study here]. Furthermore, Dr. Emerta Aragie, Research Fellow at IFPRI discussed public investment prioritization to ensure fiscal resources are effectively allocated to meet PSTA 5 objectives[This study will soon be available on IFPRI platforms]. Dr. James Warner highlighted the integration of eSoko data into policy analysis, showcasing how improved market monitoring can address price fluctuations and enhance food system resilience.
The event concluded with remarks by Alice Mukamugema, Director General of Agriculture Value Chain Management and Trade at MINAGRI. She commended the collaborative efforts between MINAGRI and IFPRI and stressed the importance of translating research findings into actionable policies. Ms. Mukamugema noted that sustaining this partnership would be critical to achieving PSTA 5’s ambitious targets and ensuring Rwanda’s food systems are resilient, inclusive, and market-driven. This event reaffirmed the pivotal role of research-driven policymaking in strengthening Rwanda’s agricultural sector. By aligning national strategies with evidence-based insights, Rwanda is poised to achieve transformative agricultural growth, paving the way for a more sustainable and resilient future.
Authors
Gilberthe Uwera Benimana- Senior Research Analyst, Development Strategies and Governance, IFPRI, Rwanda Strategy Support Program
Josue Niyonsingiza- Senior Research Analyst, Development Strategies and Governance, IFPRI, Rwanda Strategy Support Program
Dr. James Warner, Research Fellow and Program Leader for IFPRI’s Rwanda Strategy Support Program, Development Strategies and Governance
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