Work programme

RIU Rwanda was launched early February 2008.

Analysis of the innovation challenges for each commodity identified the following three generic early win entry points:

• Strengthening local seed systems and variety diversification
• Post-harvesting handling, agro-processing and marketing
• Institutional and organisational development.

The implementation plan was revised during the second half of 2009. The main elements now are:

• The National Innovation Coalition
• The Maize Innovation Platform - looking at production and marketing of maize Nyagatare District - Eastern Province
• The Potato Innovation Platform in Gicumbi District - Northern Province
• Communications

In an earlier phase of the programme Innovation Platforms were established which. The mid-term review of RIU required the Africa Country Programmes to rationalise. This process has been dealt with by RIU a phased withdrawal from March 2010 - with every attempt to find alternative funding sources. These are:

• Cassava Production Innovation Platform focussing on a community based approach to the production of disease-free cassava planting material, Gatsibo District
• Agro-processing and Marketing Innovation Platform Karongi District - Western Province

Two addition programmes invested in:

• a small scale vegetable irrigation pilot happening in Karongi District Western Province
• a pilot of sustainable community-based production of disease-free cassava planting material - this will be supported by Farmer Field Schools (FFS) in Karongi District Western Province

The team has prepared a new work plan that stretches from 1 July 2009 until 30 June 2011. The general objective of this document is to present RIU Rwanda contribution to the research design as well as activities that will be implemented and related milestones and tasks. Regular consultations, workshops, and other participatory methodologies were used to prepare this work plan.

The work plan is based on the new orientation of RIU Programme and discussions with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the Chairman and members of the National Innovation Coalition. The NIC also decided that the RIU would support Maize and Potato Platforms and design an exit strategy for the other two platforms in order to avoid an abrupt termination of support, which would impact negatively on RIU image and credibility.

The National Innovation Coalition (NIC) at their meeting in August 2009 decided to organise a two days planning workshop. The Rwamagana planning workshop took place on 25 -26 August 2009 - it was facilitated by RIU Rwanda staff. It was attended by 20 participants (five from the NIC, three from each of maize and potato platform, two from each of Karongi and Cassava platforms, a few resource persons).

The following outputs were achieved:

• a first set of milestones were agreed for the maize and potato platform with a further session organised to agree on NIC specific milestones and tasks
• representatives of the Cassava and Karongi platforms responded positively to the challenge of replacing RIU support but requested that a 'soft landing package' be considered since they were determined to continue to operate as platforms
• brainstorming conducted on how the Flexibility Fund should be operated
• the Country team was tasked to produce a first draft of the work plan and budget to be discussed within one week in a one day validation workshop to be held in Kigali.