CARE International in Rwanda, DUHAMIC-ADRI, and the European Union (EU) convened a national workshop to advance innovative solutions for nutrition security as Rwanda continues efforts to address persistent child stunting.

Held under the EU’s Kungahara Programme, the workshop brought together key actors to share innovations, highlight practical interventions and lessons learned, and strengthen collaboration. Discussions underscored the urgency of tackling nutrition challenges despite the significant progress the country has made.

About the workshop: Solutions, discussions, and recommendations

The two-day event, titled "Innovative Solutions for Nutrition Security in Rwanda,” took place from March 12–13 in Kigali. It was officially opened by Olivier Kamana, the Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI).

Bringing together around 100 participants, the workshop attracted nutrition experts from government institutions, international organisations, civil society, the private sector, academia, media, and project participants.

The event provided a platform for implementing organisations to showcase practical, nutrition-sensitive innovations across multiple food value chains, including fruits, vegetables, cereals, cassava, legumes, poultry, and pigs.

Participants proposed several key recommendations, including the need to upgrade Farmer Field Business School model (FFBS) and Village Nutrition Schools (VNS) into practical innovation hubs and to scale up Social Behaviour Change Communication (SBC) programmes to promote healthier eating habits.

They also emphasised strengthening household food diversification, institutionalising stronger links between Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and nutrition.

Further recommendations emphasised integrating nutrition education into agriculture extension services, and expanding simplified, visual, and community-driven models that effectively reach smallholder farmers.

The exhibition highlighted community-level successes, including bio-fortified crops, home and kitchen gardens, small livestock rearing, food processing technologies, and other nutrient dense crops promoted through the Kungahara Programme.

It also showcased practical nutrition tools and models, techniques, and a variety of healthy agricultural products, from raw produce to processed foods, demonstrating how knowledge and skills are being transferred to improve household nutrition.

Kungahara Programme: A wide‑reaching national effort

Launched in 2023 by the European Union and the Government of Rwanda, the KUNGAHARA Programme has 15 projects implemented across 22 districts to strengthen food and nutrition security. The programme is now serving its targeted 211,000 rural households, including vulnerable groups such as women headed‑ households, people with disabilities, pregnant and lactating women, and young children. Through improved crop production, modern technologies, livestock support, and practical nutrition education, KUNGAHARA is helping families access and consume healthier, more diverse foods while enhancing their economic resilience.

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CARE International in Rwanda and DUHAMIC-ADRI Project: Driving impact on the ground

As part of a dedicated project within the Kungahara Programme, a consortium of CARE International in Rwanda, CARE Austria, DUHAMIC-ADRI, and the Austrian Development Agency (ADA), is driving community level nutrition and resilience initiatives in some of Rwanda’s most underserved districts.

In the hills of Gakenke, Gicumbi, and Rulindo, this work comes to life through the Farmer Field and Business School (FFBS) model, where families are transforming how they grow, cook, and consume food.

Through hands on learning delivered in their own villages, farmers are improving soils, diversifying crops, preparing healthier meals, and making joint decisions that benefit the entire household.

Complementing FFBS, the consortium applies CARE’s Community Score Card (CSC) model, which has enabled communities and service providers to jointly analyse the underlying drivers of child malnutrition, such as limited dietary diversity, poor feeding practices, and gaps in household care.

The results from the generated CSC process now guide the planning and implementation of targeted nutrition interventions at local level.

The combined approach goes beyond farming; it strengthens women’s voices, improves market readiness, and links households to essential services. Today, 31,000 households are using FFBS and CSC insights to put more diverse and nutritious foods on their tables, demonstrating how practical agricultural skills paired with community driven accountability can lead to healthier, more resilient families.

Innovations, real-life impact and addressing the remaining challenges

The exhibition featured a range of innovative practices and tangible results emerging from Kungahara Programme projects across Rwanda. Among the highlights was the Zai pit technology introduced by Ingabo Farmers’ Syndicate.

"It is suitable for flat or gently sloped land with low rainfall. Using this technique, cassava yields increased from 14 tons per hectare to about 50 tons per hectare,” explained Thacien Ngumyembarebe, Project Coordinator at Ingabo Farmers’ Syndicate.

The workshop also explored challenges remaining to sustain the gains made. According to the 2025 Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) published by the National Institute of Statistics of Rwanda (NISR), the country’s stunting rate declined from 33 percent in 2020 to 27 percent in 2025, progress attributed in part to interventions led by multiple partners nationwide, including Kungahara Programme.

Various speakers higlighted the remaining significant challenges.

Geoffrey Kayijuka, Acting Country Director at CARE International Rwanda, highlighted the need to closely examine different cases in order to come up with relevant solutions.

"For instance, in Gicumbi District, farmers are recording high yields, including milk production, but there are still challenges leading to stunting cases remaining visible. One of the reasons is mindset change and poor dietary practices.”

He added that collaboration with parents over the past two years is beginning to show promising shifts.

"Over the past two years, through collaboration with parents, we are now seeing positive changes, and this progress will continue.”

Benjamin Muhigirwa, Executive Secretary at DUHAMICADRI, emphasised the importance of linking food availability with the knowledge needed to use it effectively.

"Addressing malnutrition requires more than increasing harvests, families must also understand how to turn what they grow into nutritious meals. We are supporting communities to boost their production and guiding them on preparing healthy foods is the natural next step once food is available.”

For programme participants like Justin Karamuka and his wife, Odette Uwiringiyimana, from Rulindo District, the benefits are already visible at household level.

"We’ve now learned how to prepare nutritious food, and we are thriving while serving as an example in the village,” said Uwiringiyimana.

Collaboration and innovation key to progress

Officials underscored that sustained progress in nutrition will depend on strong partnerships and practical, community-driven solutions.

Olivier Kamana, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, said:

"This gathering provides a timely opportunity for all actors across the agri-food system to reflect together on how we produce and distribute food and how households access and consume it, so that agriculture continues to drive inclusive growth, resilient livelihoods, and better nutrition for every Rwandan household.”

While praising the project’s achievements, Kamana encouraged farmers to prioritise good nutrition within their households.

"This project has boosted agriculture. However, we strongly discourage farmers who prioritise money over nutritious food, as they focus on commercial gains, and, surprisingly, their children face stunting. Family comes first, and ongoing awareness efforts aim to collaboratively reduce such a mindset. We understand that mindset is the main challenge,” he said.

Helena Guarin, Head of Section Rural Development, Climate, Environment and Gender Section Delegation of the European Union to Rwanda, stressed the importance of climate resilience.

"Adapting the Rwandan food system to climate change is one of our priorities. We’re working with the government of Rwanda and it’s important for all of us to contribute to the nutrition of our children. They can grow into responsible, healthy citizens and implement the vision of Rwanda to become a high income and knowledge-based economy by 2050,” she said.

What emerged from the workshop was a unified commitment: to build nutrition solutions that are practical, homegrown, and people centred. The innovations showcased, the evidence shared, and the voices of community members all point to one thing, Rwanda has the tools and partnerships needed to fast-track progress against malnutrition.

The task ahead is to scale what works, deepen collaboration, and ensure that no household is left behind. With the Kungahara Programme and its partners leading the way, a healthier and more resilient future for all Rwandan families is within reach.