Government Engagement for Food Systems Transformation in Rwanda

A collaborative effort to align food systems actions with government strategic priorities

Introduction

The Government Engagement Committee is leading an ambitious Food System Action (FSA) in Kigali City, Rwanda, with a vision of bridging the gap between AFF initiatives and government policies. By strengthening connections and building capacity among policymakers, this action aims to pave the way for sustainable food system transformation.

The Challenge

Rwanda’s food systems face pressing challenges, including:

• Weak alignment between AFF activities and national strategic plans.
• Limited capacity among policymakers to use tools like foresight and scenario analysis for informed decision-making.

These gaps hinder the effective integration of AFF’s food systems initiatives into the broader national agenda.

The Opportunity

This FSA identifies concrete opportunities to make a systemic impact:

• Reviewing and aligning AFF interventions with government strategies.
• Engaging key stakeholders to foster meaningful collaborations.
• Mobilizing resources to implement targeted food systems actions.

Key Outcomes

The Government Engagement Committee focuses on influencing the following food system outcomes:

1. Economic and Social Wellbeing
   • Increasing agricultural employment.
   • Enhancing agriculture’s contribution to GDP.
   • Reducing poverty rates.
2. Policy and Regulation
   • Shaping enabling conditions for sustainable transformation.

The Plan

The team is working on several pivotal activities to address systemic gaps:

• Designing a structure to connect AFF initiatives with policymakers.
• Conducting workshops to refine research strategies, including reviewing PSTA 5, Rwanda’s national agricultural policy.
• Drafting an advocacy agenda to link AFF food systems initiatives with relevant policies.
• Organizing capacity-building sessions on foresight and scenario analysis for stakeholders.

Milestones

Over the next five years, the Government Engagement Committee aims to:

• Publish an engagement status report.
• Bring two key ministry representatives (Youth and Agriculture) to the 2024 AFF Food Festival.
• Develop a concept note for food systems training in collaboration with MINAGRI.
• Finalize the first draft of the advocacy agenda.

Immediate Goals (Next Five Months)

In the short term, the focus will be on:

• Advocacy and awareness campaigns.
• Establishing collaborative networks.
• Conducting research and development initiatives.

Key results expected:

1. Securing the participation of ministry representatives at key events.
2. Preparing a concept note for food systems training.
3. Completing the first draft of the advocacy agenda.

Collaboration and Resources

Key collaborators include:

• MINAGRI Value Chain Directorate: Facilitating training and participation in PSTA 5 review.
• AFF FSA Team Leaders and Secretariat: Providing updates, leadership, and networking opportunities.

The team will leverage AFF platforms and networks, workshops, and fellowship events to drive progress.

Conclusion

By aligning food systems actions with national strategies and enhancing policymakers’ capacities, this FSA lays the groundwork for a sustainable and impactful transformation of Rwanda’s food systems.

The content above is based on this FSA tracker form. (This link is for editorial purpose only and will not be shown in the final version).