03/04/2017

Kigali, Rwanda

The EU African Roots and Tubers Project organized a three-days’ workshop on ‘’Supporting the greening of small food enterprising in Rwanda’’ from 21 to 23 February in Kigali, Rwanda.

Small food processors are an important market outlet for producers of staple crops such as potatoes. Supporting these business become more sustainable, both socially and environmentally, are important drivers for inclusive value chain development.  The workshop contributed to the goals of the country’s Green Growth and Climate Resilience strategy and the evolution of its National Vision 2050 aims to transform Rwanda from a subsistence agriculture to a middle income country. Environmental and climate change management are place as cross-cutting pivotal areas to realize this aspiration. However, small agricultural enterprises in developing countries struggle to adopt sustainability measures - already pressured with issues related to high input costs, unsuitable varieties, access to finance, below capacity processing technologies, and weak market information systems.  

The workshop brought together stakeholders involved in the potato value chain from the Public and Private Sector. The objective was to sensitize players in the chain to the opportunity cost and innovation benefits from adopting firm level sustainability plans by sharing study findings on waste recycling in the potato chain and cases of agro-enterprises that have managed to become more competitive as a result of embracing sustainability.  

The workshop was opened by the FAO Representative of Rwanda Attaher Maiga, the Second secretary to the head of section rural development Arnaud de Vanssay, and the Representative from the Minister of Agriculture of Rwanda (Minagri) Jean Claude Kyisinga.

Presentations and discussions centered on four main themes: the policy environment and challenges for sustainable Agri-food sector; concepts of sustainability and sustainable business practices; recycling waste for renewable energy in the potato supply chain; and the role of value addition.  

The workshop report will be available soon.