RWANDA INSTITUTE FOR CONSERVATION AGRICULTURE

(RICA)

DOCUMENT TITLE:

RWANDA'S PROGRESS UNDER CAADP AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

COURSE NAME: GLOBAL AWARENESS

COURSE CODE: LDR 202

IN CLASS ASSIGNMENT

AUTHORS: GROUP 8
MEMBERS NAMES:

ARAHIRWA Ineza Kevin RC20220004

BENIMANA Joyeuse RC20220089
MBONIMPA Rene Aubert RC20220038
MUGABO Richard RC20220042
NIYIGENA Irahoza Evelyne RC20220054
RUTWAZA M. Mediatrice RC20220066
UMUCYO Hubert Micky RC20220074

Submitted On March 28, 2024

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

1. INTRODUCTION

The Comprehensive African Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) is an Agenda 2063

continental initiative that aims to help African countries eliminate hunger and reduce poverty by
raising economic growth through agriculture-led development (CAADP – Comprehensive Africa
Agricultural Development Programme, 2024). In Maputo, Mozambique in 2003, the African Union
(AU) Summit made the first declaration on CAADP as an integral part of the New Partnership for
Africa’s Development (NEPAD).

The implementation of CAADP is guided by a set of principles and values. These include African
ownership and leadership, accountability and transparency, inclusiveness, evidence-based
planning, and decision making, and harnessing regional complementarities. Furthermore, CAADP
also emphasizes the importance of additional principles and values. These include a people-
centered approach, promoting private sector driven development, building systemic capacity,
practicing subsidiarity, and encouraging peer learning and multi-sectoral.

H.E. Mr. Paul Kagame, President of the Republic of Rwanda, was appointed to lead the AU
institutional reforms process. He appointed a pan-African committee of experts to review and
submit proposals for a system of governance for the AU that would ensure the organization was
better placed to address the challenges facing the continent with the aim of implementing
programmes that have the highest impact on Africa’s growth and development to deliver on the
vision of Agenda 2063 and CAADP was one of these programmes.

African governments have committed to dedicating a minimum of 10% of national budgets to

agriculture and rural development, as well as striving for agricultural growth rates of no less than 6%
annually through CAADP. These investments aim at achieving goals such as poverty and malnutrition
reduction, enhanced productivity and farm incomes, and the promotion of sustainable agricultural
practices and natural resource management.

CAADP has 4 main areas of focus namely, extending the area under sustainable land management
and reliable water control systems; improving rural infrastructure and trade-related capacities for
market access; increasing food supply, reducing hunger, and improving responses to food
emergency crises and Improving agriculture research, technology dissemination and adoption.
Rwanda was the first country to sign the CAADP Compact. This demonstrates Rwanda's
commitment to implementing the program's goals. By 2013, agriculture in Rwanda had contributed
to a 12% reduction in poverty. This suggests that CAADP's focus on agricultural investment and
productivity has had a positive impact on Rwandan livelihoods. The reduction in poverty was greater
in rural areas (from 61.9% to 48.7%) compared to urban areas. This indicates that CAADP's efforts
are particularly beneficial for Rwanda's rural population, which is heavily reliant on agriculture. Land
under modernized agriculture increased from 3% to 20%. This signifies significant progress in
adopting more advanced and productive agricultural practices in Rwanda, which is likely linked to
CAADP's emphasis on agricultural development.

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

2. ASSESSING RWANDA’S PROGRESS UNDER CAADP

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 (Rwanda Still Committed to
CAADP Implementation for Agricultural, 2020b).

Rwanda has emerged the best overall performing country in implementing the 2014 Malabo
Declaration of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Program (CAADP). The latest
report by the African Union Commission (AUC), which was presented at the AU General Assembly
on February 10, 2020, has indicated that Rwanda’s performance improved from 6.1 in 2017 to 7.2 in
2019 against the benchmark of 6.6 out of 10 marks. The benchmark is the minimum score for a
country to be qualified as being on track in implementing the CAADP Malabo Declaration.

Image : Rwanda being given an award as the best performer in implementing CAADP in 2020

For examining Rwanda’s progress under CAADP, here is the highlight of the 5 key areas of strong
performance on country as the report done in 2017: 100% for CAADP Process Completion, 100% for
inclusive institutionalized mechanisms for mutual accountability and peer review, 52% of farmers
having access to agriculture advisory services, 91% of rural women have access to productive assets
in agriculture (empowered), and finally 2 agricultural commodity value chains for which a PPP
(Public-Private Partnership) is established with strong linkage to smallholder agriculture (AUDA-
NEPAD, n.d.). As of 2017, Rwanda scored 6.1/10 and is on track in implementing the Malabo
Declaration on Agriculture transformation in Africa.

There is also the areas of improvement that requires more attention from the country as of report on
2017, which are: 7.5% of public agriculture expenditure as a share of total public expenditure, 38.0%
prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years old, 32.0% of the population is undernourished,

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

3.9% increase of yield for the country's priority agricultural commodities, and -5.6% increase of the
value of intra-Africa trade of agricultural commodities and services (Rwanda | AUDA-NEPAD, n.d.).
According to AUDA-NEPAD, there are some recommendations provided for improving those areas
which requires more attention from the country. Those are:

➢ Rwanda should increase its public expenditure into agriculture in line with the CAADP target of
10% of national budget and implement necessary measures to increase agricultural
productivity.

➢ The country should improve on nutrition interventions to reduce undernourishment and the
prevalence of stunting among children under 5 years old.

➢ The country should put in place policies that would facilitate and promote intra-regional African
trade in agricultural commodities and services.

3. ASSESSING THE CONTRIBUTION OF EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS

3.1 Importance of Institutions Like the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture.

Institutions like the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture (RICA) have the potential to make
significant contributions towards achieving the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development
Program (CAADP) objectives in Rwanda's agricultural sector. Here's how:

➢ Educating Future Leaders: RICA's Bachelor of Science in Conservation Agriculture equips

graduates with the knowledge and skills to become agricultural leaders and entrepreneurs. And
contribute to human resource/labor force development by offering specialized training programs
in agriculture, agribusiness, and other agriculture related fields. This directly addresses CAADP's
objective of building capacity in the agricultural sector.

➢ Conservation Agriculture: RICA's curriculum emphasizes Conservation Agriculture (CA)

principles. which promotes minimal soil disturbance, permanent soil cover, and crop
diversification. This also goes with CAADP's objectives/goals of sustainable intensification and
environmental protection.

➢ Interconnectedness: RICA's curriculum integrates principles like "One Health," recognizing the
links between animal, human, and ecological health. This clearly contributes to CAADP's focus
on creating a more inclusive and integrated approach to having agricultural sustainability.

➢ Empowering Smallholders: By training future generations in effective and sustainable methods,

RICA can contribute to increased agricultural productivity, a key CAADP objective. This can
empower smallholder farmers and improve their lives.

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

➢ Research and Development: RICA can play a role in researching and developing new CA-based
technologies and practices suitable for Rwanda's specific(ecological, weather, and socio-
economic) conditions through research on conservation agriculture techniques, climate change
resistant crop varieties, soil management practices, and sustainable farming methods. This
addresses CAADP's focus on achieving technological advancement for agricultural
transformation.

➢ Knowledge Transfer: RICA and similar institutions serve as knowledge hubs where best
practices, research findings, and technological innovations are taught to farmers, extension
workers, policymakers, and other stakeholders. Through programs like seminars, extension
program services, and outreach programs, RICA facilitate the adoption of sustainable
agricultural practices advocated by CAADP, such as conservation agriculture, agroforestry, and
integrated pest management.

➢ Innovation and Entrepreneurship: Through research and educational programs, institutions

foster innovation and entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector by supporting the development
of agribusiness ventures, promote the adoption of agricultural technologies, and encourage
entrepreneurial initiatives among youth and rural communities. In creating a culture of
innovation and entrepreneurship, RICA is contributing to the diversification, commercialization,
and competitiveness of Rwanda's agricultural sector, in line with CAADP objectives.

3.2 Potential contributions to agricultural development.

Research and innovations where new agriculture techniques and technologies are introduced to
improve crop yield and bring about crop varieties that are more resistant as a solution to pests and
diseases. This will lead to knowledge transfer hence increase of future agriculture professionals who
can cooperate with farmers in sustainable farming.

Capacity building likely offering trainings and courses to farmers by empowering them with needed
knowledge and skills to conduct improved agriculture practices and technologies adoption which
will help them in improving overall agricultural productivity and efficiency.

Entrepreneurship and agribusiness development once people are equipped with agribusiness
courses and agriculture entrepreneurship, job opportunities are developed and contributes to
overall economic growth which stimulates local communities by generating income with them
hence growth of agriculture sectors.

Environmental sustainability where environmentally sustainable practices likely conservation

agriculture, concepts of agroecology and climate change mitigations are promoted, and benefits of
conserving biodiversity are taught to maintain long term productivity and enhance ecosystem
resilience for agriculture to be relied on for long to reduce hunger.

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

 3.3 Examples of RICA’s initiatives with CAADP goals.

RICA is an institution that combines research, education, and extension services to train Rwanda’s
next generation of leaders in agriculture, while supporting national priorities for agricultural
development (RICA: Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture, 2023).
Some of the RICA’S initiatives with the CAADP goals include:

➢ Research on Sustainable Agricultural Practices: RICA conducts research on innovative and

sustainable agricultural practices that enhance productivity while minimizing environmental
impact. This research focuses on techniques such as minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining
soil cover, and diversifying crops through rotation or intercropping as principles of conservation
agriculture. These practices contribute to CAADP's goal of sustainable agricultural growth.

➢ Education and Training Programs: RICA students gain hands-on experience in smallholder
farming programs and learn how they can transform agriculture. By educating and training the
next generation of agricultural leaders, RICA helps build human capacity in Rwanda's
agricultural sector, supporting CAADP's objectives of increasing investment in agriculture and
promoting rural development.

➢ Extension Services for Smallholder Farmers: RICA provides extension services which include
technical assistance, advice, and resources to smallholder farmers across Rwanda. These
extension services focus on the best practices in crop production, livestock management, soil
conservation, and post-harvest handling, helping farmers improve their productivity and
incomes, in line with CAADP's goal of poverty reduction and food security.

➢ Innovation and Technology Transfer: RICA promotes the adoption of innovative agricultural
technologies and practices by facilitating technology transfer and knowledge exchange between
research institutions, farmers, and agribusinesses. This includes training on the use of
agricultural machinery and equipment, contributing to CAADP's goal of agricultural research,
technology dissemination, and adoption.

SUBMITTED ON MARCH 28,2024 LDR 202 GLOBAL AWARENESS

References:

1. Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)-Rwanda | AUDA-

NEPAD. (n.d.). https://www.nepad.org/nepad-oncontinent/comprehensive-africa-
agriculture-development-programme-caadp-
rwanda#:~:text=The%20implementation%20of%20CAADP%20in%20Rwanda%20has%20c
ontributed%20to%3A&text=The%20agricultural%20sector%20has%20also,agriculture%20
and%20increased%20food%20security

2. CAADP - Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme |Policy Support and

Governance| Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. (n.d.).
https://www.fao.org/policy-support/mechanisms/mechanisms-details/zh/c/417079/

3. Rwanda still committed to CAADP implementation for Agricultural. (2020, July 15). Africa
Renewal. https://www.un.org/africarenewal/news/rwanda-still-committed-caadp-
implementation-agricultural-transformation

4. Rwanda On Good Track in Implementing the Continental Comprehensive Africa Agriculture

Development Programme. (n.d.). https://www.minagri.gov.rw/updates/news-
details/rwanda-on-good-track-in-implementing-the-continental-comprehensive-africa-
agriculture-development-programme

5. Rwanda | AUDA-NEPAD. (n.d.). https://www.nepad.org/caadp/countries/rwanda

6. Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP)-Rwanda | AUDA-

NEPAD. (n.d.). https://www.nepad.org/nepad-oncontinent/comprehensive-africa-
agriculture-development-programme-caadp-rwanda

7. RICA: Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. (2023, November 21). About - RICA:
Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture. https://www.rica.rw/about/#principles

8. CAADP - Rwanda Implementation and Management Case Study: Discussion Draft (2012).
USAID & Africa Lead. https://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PA00JXGV.pdf

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