AGRA and Rwanda’s Ministry of Information Communication Technology and Innovation have today announced plans to launch a Rwanda Food Innovation Hub, aimed at catalyzing sustainable food systems across Africa.
The Food Innovation Hub aims to empower smallholder farmers, develop inclusive markets and finance, and strengthen agricultural systems. This will contribute to increased food production, improved nutrition, and enhanced resilience to climate change.
The partnership aligns with Rwanda’s national development priorities, addressing economic growth and poverty reduction through technology, communication, and innovation. It also aligns with AGRA’s 2022-2030 Strategic Framework, which applies a food systems lens to achieve zero hunger, improved nutrition, poverty reduction, and climate adaptation.
In her remarks during the signing of the MoU, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, President, AGRA said, “AGRA is committed to catalyzing sustainable food systems across Africa. This collaboration with MINICT will create a vibrant ecosystem for food innovation in Rwanda, with benefits extending to farmers and communities throughout the continent”.
Paula Ingabire, Minister of ICT remarked, “This partnership with AGRA is crucial for Rwanda’s ambition to become a Food Innovation Hub. By leveraging technology and innovation, we can transform our food systems, empower our farmers, and contribute to food security across Africa”.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) outlines a framework for collaboration to position Rwanda as a leading Food Innovation Hub, fostering an ecosystem that encourages, accelerates, and scales food systems innovations to deliver on key development goals.
The MoU will see AGRA provide strategic advisory services, participate as a key partner in the initiative through its Steering Committee and engage with national, regional, and global actors to strategically position the initiative and cultivate partnership opportunities in order to cultivate priority partners, programs, and ideas, both through development and implementation.
The Rwanda Ministry of ICT will lead on policy design and implementation, engage with government ministries and agencies, and cultivate strategic partnerships. AGRA will provide advisory services, engage with national, regional, and global actors, and help broker strategic partnerships and programs.
As part of the agreement, knowledge and information gained in connection with project activities will be promptly and broadly disseminated; and the resulting products, services, processes, technologies, materials, software, data, other innovations and intellectual property will be made available and accessible at an affordable price to people most in need within developing countries.