Rwanda was applauded for emerging best performer in implementation of agriculture program in Africa at the just concluded 14th Meeting of the Sectoral Council on Agriculture and Food Security (SCAFS) in Arusha, Tanzania on the 25th of June 2021.
The Chief Administrative Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Republic of Kenya, Mr. Lawrence Angolo Omuhaka, chaired the Ministerial Session.
Based on the Second CAADP Biennial Report, it was sighted that Rwanda was the only Eastern African region that was on tract to meet most of it targets in terms of Agriculture.
Omuhaka stated that “As a region we should applaud the Republic of Rwanda for emerging the best performing country on the continent for the second time, scoring 7.24 which was above the minimum of 6.66 required to be on-track”.
Mr. Jean Baptiste Havugimana, Director of Productive Sectors, who was speaking on behalf of the EAC Secretariat, mentioned that more than 70% of the industries in EAC were agro-based, including production of agricultural inputs, while 75% of the traded goods are agricultural commodities and products.
“Linking Agricultural trade and industry is therefore imperative in promoting agricultural production as industries provide the market for agricultural produce while trade delivers processed agricultural products to the market/ consumers,” add Mr. Havugimana.
The Director emphasized the need to promote and enhance agriculture, urging the region to learn from the COVD-19 pandemic, especially on the need to promote local industries. He observed that the region had been importing many products externally prior to the pandemic, even though it was possible to produce them locally.
“Textile industries need to be promoted instead of depending on import of Used Cloths. It is necessary to promote local consumption and procurement of locally produces goods as emphasized by the Heads of State” He noted.