Rwanda’s food security rises as hunger declines

More than 80% of Rwandan households are food secure, with the capacity to access three meals a day, according to the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources. The update was provided by Solange Uwituze, Minister of State in the ministry, as she announced that Rwanda will host the 20th edition of the Africa Food Systems Forum in September. The summit is expected to bring together more than 4,500 global stakeholders, including Heads of State, ministers, business leaders, investors, development partners, and innovators from across Africa and beyond. ALSO READ: How Africa can build resilient food systems The event comes at a critical moment as African countries enter a new decade under the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), while also stepping up efforts to mobilise large-scale investment through frameworks such as the New African Financial Architecture (NAFA). The CAADP 10-Year Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035), aligned with the African Union’s Agenda 2063, aims to build resilient agri-food systems that can deliver a healthy and prosperous continent. Rwanda is widely recognised as one of the strongest performers in implementing CAADP, a continental framework designed to drive agricultural growth, food security, and rural development. The country has steadily increased public investment in agriculture, working toward the CAADP target of allocating at least 10% of national budgets to the sector. “Rwanda hosts the Africa Food Systems Forum secretariat. The summit will take stock of Africa’s agricultural performance and the challenges it faces,” Uwituze said. The Kigali forum will focus on translating commitments into measurable outcomes, particularly through increased investment, stronger partnerships, and improved accountability. ALSO READ: Rwanda makes progress on continental agric plan Rwanda has set ambitious long-term targets, including increasing agricultural productivity per hectare by 13 times by 2050. The goal is to meet the needs of a population projected to grow from the current 14 million to 18 million by 2035 and between 22 and 23 million by 2050. Officials say the urgency is heightened by declining official development assistance, volatile commodity prices, and rising debt burdens across the continent. “Investment in food systems must become a priority. Over 70% of Rwandans are youth, and more young people must be engaged in agriculture,” Uwituze said. ALSO READ: Inside Rwanda’s Rwf7tn agriculture strategic plan Over the past two decades, the Africa Food Systems Forum has convened stakeholders from more than 100 countries, hosted over 3,000 sessions, and showcased over $200 billion in investment opportunities from governments and small and medium-sized enterprises. Alice Ruhweza, President of AGRA, said the Kigali summit must deliver tangible results. “We must come forward with delivery plans, clear implementation pathways, and readiness to achieve measurable impact. What is agreed in Kigali must be tracked and delivered to build credibility and unlock further investment,” she said. The summit will also create opportunities for youth-led enterprises and agri-food SMEs to engage directly with investors and partners. Despite progress in countries like Rwanda, Africa continues to face significant challenges. About 20.4% of the continent’s population experiences hunger, while 58% face food insecurity. The agriculture sector, largely dominated by smallholder farmers, still grapples with issues such as insecure land tenure, limited investment in soil health, and widespread land degradation. While interest in large-scale commercial farming is growing, smallholder farming remains critical for efficient land use, job creation, and inclusive economic growth. However, public investment in agriculture across Africa remains below expectations, with only a few countries meeting the target of allocating at least 10% of public expenditure to the sector annually.

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Rwanda’s food security rises as hunger declines