AGRA

Agriculture is the economic mainstay of the majority of households in Rwanda and makes a significant contribution to the Rwanda’s economy. It accounts for approximately 30% of the GDP and is the biggest employer.

In all development blueprints, agriculture is billed to play a significant role to the structural transformation of the economy, contributing to economic growth, exports, job creation, increased land and labour productivity.

However, the sector is still developing in most of all aspects including its seed system and product market. Yet, the national ambition is toshift agriculture from its current predominantly subsistence nature to a market-led sector.

The seed system and product market is one of those critical factors still developing for sustainability to support sector transformation that has to be private sector led as envisioned in The Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation 4 (PSTA 4).

Thanks to the fact that AGRA approach in Rwanda centers on investing technical and financial resources to create a functional and strong seedsystem in Rwanda and extension services to raise farmer awareness on use of improved seeds.

Founded in 2006, AGRA is a farmer-centered, Africanled, partnerships-driven institution that is working to transforming smallholder farming from a solitary struggle to survive to a business that thrives.

It aspires to modernize agriculture sector on the African continent by mainly making it market-driven and a data-based sector which will play an important role in the development of the countries on the continent, Rwanda inclusive.

This way, AGRA is committed to catalyze the economic development, wealth creation, hunger reduction and nutrition through inclusive agriculture transformation. And, its goals are aligned very well with Strategic Development Goals, Malabo Declaration, African Agenda 2063, and fall under Rwanda priorities to transform agriculture as stated in PSTA4.

Download full article: https://agra.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/AGRA-Supports-Creation-of-a-Vibrant-Seed-System-in-Rwanda.pdf

Source publication: http://thelinkpublications.com/2021/02/17/rwanda-agriculture-year-book-2020-2021/