Rwanda has demonstrated strong political commitment to the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP) initiative. The country has signed the CAADP Compact to fully endorse its commitment to Agricultural development in the continent.
This commitment is aligned to its National Agricultural Policy Framework 2017-2030, which outlines the need for a productive, green and market-led agriculture sector. The policy responds to the rapid changes experienced in the sector and anticipates key trends and concerns including pressure on land, the need to feed growing cities, the absorption of rural youth into the labour market and the need to raise productivity of smallholder farmers.
A review of the first two phases of CAADP (implemented between 2008 and 2012, and between 2013 and 2017) in the country suggested the provision of clear pathways to enhance the performance of the country's agricultural sector which will lead to wealth and job creation; poverty alleviation and food-nutrition security.
A new implementation cycle for the CAADP implementation process in Rwanda has now been initiated to guide increased and impactful public and private investments in agriculture during the period 2018-2024. The Strategic Programme for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 4) is designed to achieve four strategic impact areas that are in accordance with the CAADP framework; namely: (a) increased wealth contribution, (b) increased economic opportunity, (c) improved food security, and (d) increased resilience. It aims to set out the estimated required resources of $3 bn for the agricultural sector in the next six years.
During the CAADP Business Meeting held in Kigali on June 28, 2018, Rwanda's Minister for Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr Geraldine Mukeshimana acknowledged and commended the support given to Rwanda in its transformation journey, by different stakeholders.
Representing the NEPAD Agency, Dr Augustin Wambo-Yamdjeu, Head of CAADP, underscored the importance of political will and buy-in from stakeholders in the transformation of agriculture, noting that Rwanda is one of the leading champions in this area as demonstrated by the country's performance in the inaugural Malabo Biennial Review Report officially released in January 2018 by the AU Summit.
The business meeting, officially opened by the Prime Minister of the Government of Rwanda, Honourable Édouard Ngirente, sought to articulate partners' value addition and contribution to achieving the country's transformational agenda through a memorandum of understanding of stakeholder on Rwanda's CAADP renewed commitments.
