KIGALI, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Rwanda has launched the 335.4-million-U.S.-dollar Climate Smart Agriculture Investment Plan (CSA-IP), a national initiative aimed at enhancing food production and resilience while creating private sector investment opportunities in the country's agriculture sector.
The plan was unveiled Wednesday in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, by the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources and the Rwanda Green Fund (RGF), in collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC). It lays out a strategic roadmap to raise awareness, develop an investment pipeline, provide technical assistance, and implement supportive policies.
"This CSA Investment Plan aligns with Rwanda's Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation, which aims to accelerate agricultural transformation through increased climate resilience, productivity, market access, and private sector investment," said Mark Cyubahiro Bagabe, minister of agriculture and animal resources, at the launch.
Bagabe underscored the plan's goal of attracting private capital to help make agriculture more productive, climate-resilient, and sustainable, adding that the CSA-IP provides a platform for mobilizing investment and strengthening regulatory support for climate-smart agricultural practices.
In the long term, the plan aims to mainstream and scale climate-smart agriculture by unlocking new funding sources, expanding investment opportunities, and driving policy reforms, according to a statement issued by the ministry.
The ministry noted that approximately two-thirds of the total investment opportunity lies in water supply and irrigation infrastructure. Additional areas include climate-resilient crop cultivation, post-harvest loss reduction, sustainable livestock development, and enhanced soil health.
Teddy Mugabo, chief executive officer of the RGF, said that the plan enables better coordination, attracts private-sector capital, and delivers results that are measurable, scalable, and impactful for both farmers and the environment.
Rwanda's agriculture sector is a cornerstone of the economy and food security but remains highly vulnerable to climate risks such as erratic rainfall, prolonged droughts, rising temperatures, and soil erosion. These challenges threaten both crop yields and livestock productivity, jeopardizing rural livelihoods, according to the statement.
The plan targets the transformation of approximately 83,250 hectares into climate-resilient, high-productivity farmland through efficient irrigation, improved soil management, and high-yield crops. It also aims to connect around 170,200 farmers and 375 agribusinesses to climate-smart financing through bankable investment projects.
"This plan provides a national-level strategic framework to prioritize private sector-oriented climate-smart agriculture investment opportunities, identify financing mechanisms, and propose key actions for the government to achieve meaningful impact," said Jiyeon Janice Ryu, IFC resident representative for Rwanda. ■
