Strategy and approaches

The RIU Rwanda implementation plan was revised during the second half of 2009. The focus is now to develop innovation capacity, mainly through support to the National Innovation Coalition (NIC) and innovation platforms.

Main priorities until 2011

• NIC as a consortium of the major stakeholders in the agricultural system in Rwanda. The vision is for the NIC to become the driving engine of the programme in Rwanda and ensure the lifetime of the approach beyond the lifetime of the programme.
• Platforms will be facilitated in initiating stakeholder coordination mechanisms (e.g. better planning for planting seasons) and developing new partnerships with the private sector for adequate and timely supply of agro inputs to farmers.
• As lack of access to financing was identified as another key challenge for both platforms, the RIU will pilot with financial institutions pro-poor services tailored to specific needs of farmers and other platform members.
• Testing new ways of working to see if maize and potato production and productivity can be increased.

The role of farmers as producers is central in value chain development. RIU's continuous interactions with maize, potato and cassava producers participating in RIU supported platforms highlighted a series of practices (not necessarily best practices), challenges and knowledge gaps that have a direct impact on agricultural output, resulting into low level of productivity and production. As part of the exploration of possible response to these issues, platforms have stressed the importance of involving farmers themselves in the innovation process and making them part of the solution.

The anticipated impact of the strategy will be that 825,000 people (8.5% of the total population) will benefit from the RIU programme by 2011.