The Rwanda National Agricultural Policy 2017 is a cross-sectoral policy that updates the previous national agricultural policy of 2014 and whose mission is to ensure food and nutrition security of Rwandans by using modern agribusiness technologies, professionalizing farmers in terms of production, commercialization of the outputs and then creating a competitive agriculture sector. The revised National Agriculture Policy has identified four main strategic and enabling pillars upon which core policy guidance and actions have been based: a)Productivity and Commercialization for Food Security, Nutrition, and Incomes; b) Resilience and Sustainable Intensification; c) Inclusive Employment and Improved Agrofood Systems' Skills and Knowledge; d) An Effective Enabling Environment and Responsive Institutions. Food insecurity and malnutrition will be eliminated through the increase in crop, livestock, fisheries and aquaculture productivity. Increase of on-farm productivity and value will be achieved through policies aiming at improving farmers' skills and resilience with positive impacts on income, as well as diversification of the farm outputs and required equipment like the greenhouses. The on-farm value of agricultural production will be augmented in different ways that will be concurrently encouraged through concerted action and economies of scale, diversified agricultural production systems in favor of higher-value added products, enhanced nutritional status and round-the-year food supply. Other actions will include continued efforts to improve farmers' access to good quality and affordable inputs (for both crops and livestock), and facilitation for better market linkages. To improve productivity, increase production and commercialization, and address the challenge of land fragmentation, the development of farmer cooperation and cooperatives will continue to be encouraged. Availability and access to affordable, nutritious and safe food in rural areas will be improved through the increase in production of food staples and their bio-fortification as well as through the promotion of the production and consumption of fruits and vegetables. To improve productivity, increase production and commercialization, the policy actions will be focused on: addressing the challenge of land fragmentation through encouraging the development of farmer cooperation and cooperatives, enacting policies that focus on strengthening the legal and enabling environment in order to improve (formal) land market participation in rural areas, especially through leasing, encouraging better post-harvest management, while also actively supporting the emergence of agri-food processing, improving farmers' access to markets, particularly through better value chain integration. Further, a deeper regional and international trade and knowledge integration with neighboring countries will be pursued through the promotion of the private sector investment, diversification of exports and improvement of export quality requirements, implementation of cross-border trade agreements and improved information systems and certification programs. Further, the policy actions include the built of a risk management framework for the agriculture sector to absorb marked and production instabilities by risk transfer through agriculture insurance, and risk mitigation and coping through price stabilization and other tools. Promotion of sustainable water management for climate-resilience in farming and rural areas. In order to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems the following measures are set out: a) Fostering skills development through strengthened agriculture knowledge and information systems. Vocational education and training as well as enhanced access to information for farmers and other sector stakeholders will be employed to this end; b) Promotion of on- and off-farm income diversification through fostering entrepreneurship; c) Enhanced nutritional literacy skills in the broader population; d) Promotion of youth and gender sensitivity. Increasing the resilience of livelihoods and disasters is among the objectives of this strategy. To this end, the policy actions will promote sustainable water management for climate-resilience in farming and rural areas. Such efforts will be focused on two areas: a) development of more efficient irrigation systems, dams, and soil water management; and b) promotion of cultivars and animal breed adapted to the impacts of climate change. Regarding governance, the policy establishes that the MINAGRI is the key leading institution to deliver on the implementing of the four pillars of the policy. Given the complexity of the agricultural development in Rwanda with involvement of several line ministries and that the actual development activities take place at decentralized levels of districts, sectors and cells, MINAGRI will closely collaborate in the policy implementation with a range of public institutions that influence the sector through the creation of collaborative platforms.
Rwanda National Agricultural Policy.