The government of Rwanda and the European Union has launched a new agriculture initiative dubbed ‘Kungahara’ which is set to combine 14 projects worth over 100 million Euros (approximately 14 billion Rwf) designed to tackle food insecurity in the most stricken regions of the country.
The project has come on the back of higher consumer price indices with about 20.6% of Rwanda households remaining food insecure according to the 2021 Comprehensive Food Security and Vulnerability Assessment Report.
The project is expected to promote sustainable food production, inclusive agricultural value chains and targeted interventions in vulnerable communities.
Speaking at the event launch, the Head of Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, Ambassador Bellen Calvo Uyarra said the project has come to boost food abundance, prosperity and stabilize food security in Rwanda.
The Ambassador, Calvo Uyarra noted that the initiatives will be supported by the local government plans aimed at reducing food security throughout the implementation period.
“There will be different kinds of actions involving improvement of the seeds of potatoes and working in the food systems as well as access to a market of farmers,” she said adding “Agriculture is the largest flagships in the country in which the union will be investing its money.”
According to the EU ambassador, the initiative will cover 14 initiatives where partners will be implementing the actions of over 11 million euros and almost 1300 Rwandan households will be impacted.
The project has a lifespan of three to four years and will improve the condition of food security on the ground and strengthen the resilience of food systems and improve the production of food security which is part of the broader support of the European Union to the agricultural sector in the country.
According to Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture the initiative will complement other agricultural projects that are in the pipeline including the Green Initiatives.
He also echoed the sentiment that the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war is the major spark of the food insecurity emphasizing that the project has come as a solution to eradicate food insecurity in Rwanda.
He illustrated that 20% of Rwanda’s households are food insecure while 1% experience acute food insecurity.
He further argued that stunting resulting from food insecurity exceeds 40% in districts of western provinces implying the initiative is timely in the respective area.
On another Samuel Nsengiyunva, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government called upon stakeholders to work together to curb the existing challenges that are threatening the agriculture sector.
“With limited returns and low levels of limited infrastructures we can address the challenges at hand,” he noted.