In Rwanda, FAO is mainly engaged in agriculture, food security and nutrition, natural resources management (land, forestry and environment) and disaster risk management. FAO also provides support for the implementation of various projects and programmes, either through collaborative efforts with other UN agencies under “One UN”, and/or bilateral and multilateral agencies, or as “stand-alone”.

Since FAO Rwanda opened its office in 1985, there have been four key periods of operation:

• 1985-1994: Supported large scale projects through the United Nations Development Program UNDP
• 1994-2000: Conducted projects that related directly to the agricultural emergency operations system that was put in place after the war and the Genocide
• 2001-2006: Focused on rehabilitation of the agriculture system (as opposed to the response projects of the previous period), as well as the strengthening of government partnerships
• 2007- To date: FAO Rwanda is working strategically under the One UN Rwanda initiative in close collaboration with other governmental organizations and national counterparts on projects that cross-cut agriculture production, value chain development, nutrition, social protection, and climate change resilience.

In its current line of activity, FAO Rwanda is working across organizations to respond to the global and national challenges put forth through the One UN initiative, the Sustainable Development Goals (MDGs) and Rwanda’s Vision 2020 plan. FAO Rwanda has participated in projects and activities that support the promotion of sustainable growth in the country’s post war redevelopment efforts, as well as the increased social protection of women, children, youth and other vulnerable populations. These efforts include activities that strengthen food and nutrition security, support of agribusiness, economic empowerment of rural women and youth, aquaculture, capacity development, forest and landscape restoration and small scale irrigation.