Towards Greater Policy Alignment: Rwanda’s Food Systems Transformation Journey

This case study has been produced in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN). It is part of a larger piece that explores country case studies of transformations in agrifood systems, to be released later in 2025 under the framework of the One Planet Network Sustainable Food Systems Programme, with financial assistance from the Federal Office for Agriculture of Switzerland. Insights from Rwanda’s journey were shared by Chantal Ingabire, Jean Claude Kabano, Placide Nshuti Kanyabujinja, Christine Mukantwali, Mehnaz Ajmal Paracha, Hilda Vasanthakaalam, and Sakina Usengimana (listed alphabetically) and written by Esther Wiegers and Elizabeth Rusaitis-Graham.

As one of Africa’s most densely populated nations, Rwanda has made significant progress in reducing poverty and improving nutrition. However, challenges persist, including limited economic opportunities for women and youth, food insecurity, malnutrition, productivity constraints, and climate vulnerabilities. Recognizing the need for a more systemic approach to address these interconnected issues, Rwanda has launched its Fifth Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA5)—its first-ever food systems and climate-resilient strategy.

This case study explores Rwanda’s journey in transforming its food system while tackling these complex challenges. It highlights the processes, key players, and strategic decisions involved in aligning diverse priorities into a cohesive national policy, while also examining remaining bottlenecks and opportunities for progress. It also serves as a narrative at this moment in time, told by individuals from different perspectives and different engagement points in the country’s transformation agenda.

Navigating Rwanda's food system: Addressing interconnected challenges

Rwanda, one of Africa’s smallest and most densely populated countries, has a population of 13.2 million, with 8.6 million under the age of 30. The country aspires to achieve middle-income status while ensuring food security, nutritional health, and sustainable agricultural growth. It is landlocked, with many smallholder farmers in various agroclimatic zones, relying on rainfed agriculture and vulnerable to climate change and land scarcity. Past investments in Rwanda’s agrifood system have significantly improved economic growth, poverty rates, food security, and malnutrition, with prevalence of stunting in children under 5 decreasing to 30% in 2024 (down from 41.2% in 2012).

However, challenges remain, including low agricultural productivity, limited commercialization, and climate vulnerabilities. Food insecurity stands at 17%, anaemia among women at 37%, and obesity and noncommunicable diseases are on the rise, particularly in urban areas. While an improvement in the last 15 years, still one in three children in Rwanda suffers from stunted growth because of malnutrition, especially among the poorest households and in rural areas]. Rural women’s dietary diversity remains a serious concern. Despite greater gender parity compared to other countries in the region, female farmers show lower agricultural productivity due to less access to quality inputs, finance, and extension services.

Rwanda’s existing policies focus on many of these issues, as Chantal Ingabire, Director General of Planning at the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda (MINAGRI) states:

Agriculture is key, but not king

Rwanda’s agriculture sector, which employs about 69% of the population, contributed to two-thirds of poverty reduction between 2001 and 2017. Today, it accounts for 27% of GDP and 34% of exports. Agriculture remains central to Rwanda’s food systems transformation agenda and the national goal of halving stunting rates by 2035, as outlined by the country’s second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2).

However, addressing stunting requires a multifaceted approach that goes beyond agricultural interventions alone. In Rwanda, stunting remains prevalent due to a combination of interconnected factors, including poor maternal nutrition, inadequate diets, recurrent infections leading to diarrhoea, limited access to healthcare, and insufficient early childhood stimulation. Significant geographic disparities exist among provinces and districts, often linked to levels of food security, the presence of development partners, and the strength of local leadership in nutrition.

While Rwanda has long pursued export-driven agricultural growth alongside domestic food security and reducing stunting and poverty levels, its current strategies signal a broader, more integrated approach. Under NST2 and the newly launched Fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation - known as PSTA5-, the country shows a clear push beyond agricultural exceptionalism. As Hilda Vasanthakaalam, Senior Nutrition Advisor at GAIN in Rwanda, notes:

Tackling these complex and interrelated priorities is inherently challenging. They cut across disciplinary, sectoral and institutional boundaries—and no single actor can address them in isolation. Responding effectively requires a systems approach that considers the whole food system: the activities, people, contexts, outcomes, and the relationships between them. This (food) systems approach replaces fragmentation with connection. It helps identify root causes, illuminate systemic blockages, foresee and mitigate trade-offs, foster collective action, and learn and adapt as circumstances evolve.

Milestone achieved: Rwanda adopts its first food systems and climate resilient centric strategy

Photo: Marie, a farmer and entrepreneur in Jomba, is weaving together opportunities from across the food system—combining livestock, homegrown crops, and small business initiatives to improve her family’s well-being. © FAO/Petterik Wiggers.

In late 2024, MINAGRI launched the PSTA5, the country’s first food systems and climate-resilient strategy, covering the period 2024–2029. Titled Building Resilient and Sustainable Agri-Food Systems, the plan provides a roadmap for transforming Rwanda's agrifood systems into a more prosperous, food-secure, and resilient future. It aims to enhance food security and nutrition, promote sustainable land use, expand inclusive markets, create employment opportunities, and strengthen resilience to climate-related shocks such as droughts and floods.

Jean Claude Kabano, Policy Advisor at GAIN in Rwanda, explains:

“PSTA5 takes a comprehensive view, addressing the full range of food systems issues—from food production and access to distribution and consumption. It also tackles critical challenges such as stunting and malnutrition, promotes economic opportunities for youth and women, and integrates climate resilience. These challenges should be addressed together, rather than as separate workflows. For me, the PSTA5 is transformative because it integrates multiple sectors and agendas.”

The financial framework for PSTA5 sets out resource allocations for its five-year implementation period, with a total budget of RWF 6,622.6 billion (approximately USD 5.1 billion). In contrast to its predecessor, PSTA4—which allocated around 70% of its budget to food production and productivity—PSTA5 adopts a slightly more balanced approach. Its budget is structured around three core components:

The private sector is expected to contribute roughly 44% of the total budget, primarily through investments in infrastructure, value chains, and climate-smart initiatives. The remainder will be financed through government funding and support from development partners. This highlights the critical importance of fostering public-private partnerships, aligning interventions, and creating an enabling environment for investment in Rwanda’s agrifood system.

To build resilient and sustainable agrifood systems, the PSTA5 moves beyond production-centric strategies by addressing interconnections between the country’s key priorities. The strategy adopts a more system-based perspective, aligning goals such as nutrition, food security, climate resilience, sustainable use of natural resources, employment (particularly for youth), economic growth, and market access—ensuring that progress in one area does not come at the expense of another.

Empowering women and youth in agriculture is also a central priority. The integration of advanced technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), plays a central role in increasing agricultural productivity and engaging young people in the sector. Compared to previous generations, Rwanda’s young food system workers and farmers have received more formal education, are more commercially oriented, and demonstrate higher land productivity, despite having access to only about half the land of older farmers.

Sakina Usengimana, Chairperson of Rwanda Youth in Agribusiness (RYAF) and founder of Afri Food, a horticulture company based in Rwanda, explains this youth feature:

“I think in the past, youth have been involved but not really at the same level as today. Youth are now seen as key advocates for driving innovation, agribusiness development and modernizing the agriculture sector… Youth can serve as role models for implementing new practices across food system activities.”

Placide Nshuti Kanyabujinja, a Water Engineer and Irrigation Expert at FAO Rwanda, further underscores the importance of more integrated ways of working to tackle interlinked challenges:

“Rwanda faces droughts, floods, and increasing pest pressures, so adapted agricultural practices are emerging accordingly. This includes using drought-resistant seeds and training farmers in climate-smart practices… and investing in water conservation and solar-powered irrigation systems to reduce reliance on expensive fuel-based pumps.”

Nutrition as the thread for aligning key agendas

A key shift in PSTA5 is the move from treating nutrition as a sub-component, as in PSTA4, to explicitly integrating it across all priority areas. Nutrition now serves as the thread that weaves together the various elements of the food system, from seeds, soil health to economic empowerment and the impact of climate change.

Jean Claude Kabano explains how these interconnected but different priority areas are influencing and reinforcing the others:

“Stunting is not just a nutrition or health issue; it directly affects the productivity of the future workforce, which in turn impacts the economy—particularly in Rwanda, where stunting remains high. Addressing stunting through improved nutrition, particularly for children and pregnant women, and tackling underlying causes like inequality and poverty, fosters a well-nourished population. This, in turn, leads to a more productive workforce, helping to reduce unemployment and stimulate economic growth.”

Christine Mukantwali, a Food Systems and Nutrition Expert at FAO Rwanda, further explains this shift:

Aligning priorities across food systems, climate resilience, biodiversity, nutrition and equity priorities is complex. Achieving co-benefits requires a shared understanding of the trade-offs and synergies between these areas. Rwanda’s goal is to become an export-oriented country, prioritizing high-value agricultural products while also addressing domestic food security, stunting, and poverty. This raises a critical question: How can Rwanda increase the productivity of nutritious foods and reduce post-harvest losses while also ensuring these foods remain accessible and affordable for local consumers, rather than being solely focused on exports?

Hilda Vasanthakaalam highlights Rwanda’s growing focus on high-value export crops such as okra, French beans, green peppers, pineapples, avocados, and strawberries—especially under the PSTA4. While these crops have primarily been grown for international markets like China (notably green chilies) and Europe, their presence in local diets has been limited. However, as production expands, surplus and export-rejected produce are increasingly entering the local food system, creating opportunities for greater dietary diversity. The focus is now on integrating these nutritious crops into local consumption while ensuring affordability for all—especially in light of the ongoing challenge of balancing nutritional value with cost.

Nonetheless, challenges remain. As food prices rise and Rwanda’s middle-income population grows, a segment of vulnerable individuals will continue to require social support. Additionally, while the country advances in agricultural technology and innovation, not everyone may be equipped to fully participate in Rwanda’s transition toward a knowledge-based economy. Addressing these disparities will be crucial in ensuring inclusive nutrition and leaving no one behind.

The journey to alignment: what made it work

Photo: From job-seeker to entrepreneur: Gashema Victoire is building a thriving poultry business in Southern Rwanda, showing how young farmers are shaping a more resilient and inclusive food system. © FAO/Petterik Wiggers.

Aligning different policy agendas to address interconnected challenges is a complex process that takes time and results from gradual changes. Rather than starting from scratch, it involves connecting what already exists—policies, institutions, actors—and making sure they reinforce rather than contradict each other. Instead of isolated solutions, it focuses on more integrated ways of thinking, acting, and collaborating. It also calls for navigating competing priorities while identifying synergies and shared opportunities. Most importantly, it is about working together, building stronger partnerships, and encouraging innovation. Through its PSTA5, which adopts a food systems approach, Rwanda has made a strong start in aligning various policy agendas. What makes this shift possible is not just technical solutions, but leadership, openness to learning, and a willingness to rethink how change happens.

Commitment to change

The design of PSTA5 reflects Rwanda’s strategic choice to move towards more integrated, systems-based approaches to transforming its food systems. Recognizing the interconnections between national priorities, the NST2 provides now a more holistic framework to which various sector strategies must align. Along with PSTA5, these approaches are compliant with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP), a pan-African and unifying vision for rejuvenating agricultural growth, and are supported by the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework. 

At COP28, Rwanda endorsed the Emirates Declaration for Sustainable Agriculture, Resilient Food Systems, & Climate Action, reinforcing its commitment to integrating national food systems agendas with climate-related targets by 2025. This includes aligning efforts with Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs). Additionally, Rwanda joined the Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation alongside Brazil, Cambodia, Norway, and Sierra Leone, pledging to drive systemic change through a ‘whole-of-government’ approach. As part of this alliance, Rwanda is committed to ensure its actions drive positive change across the following interconnected outcome areas: food and nutrition security; adaptation and resilience; equity and livelihoods; nature and biodiversity; and climate mitigation, using the PSTA5 as the main instrument.

Thinking together, shifting mindsets

The development of PSTA5 was shaped through an inclusive consultative process, engaging a broad and diverse range of stakeholders across multiple sectors—including health, environment, trade and industry, and infrastructure. Consultations were conducted across all provinces, ensuring representation from every district.

MINAGRI actively collaborated with other ministries, civil society organizations, the private sector, development partners, farmers, and value chain actors, including women and youth. Together, they worked to identify and think through the multiple food systems priorities like climate, health, nutrition, markets, infrastructure, economic growth, and their interconnections.

Diverse sectors and stakeholders were all contributing to a shared vision, for example by highlighting the importance of linking nutrition to other priorities and embedding climate resilience into the PSTA5’s discussion. Mehnaz Ajmal Paracha, a Senior Program and Food System Policy Advisor at FAO Rwanda, reflects on this process:

“The development of PSTA5 was highly consultative. We engaged stakeholders and partners at all levels—from local to national, across sectors, both horizontally and vertically. When technical gaps were identified, relevant experts were brought in to contribute their knowledge. This ensured that issues such as climate resilience, agroforestry, biodiversity, gender and youth, digital transformation, private sector, governance and political economy perspective were effectively integrated into Rwanda’s agricultural transformation strategy.”

Rwanda had already set the stage for inclusive dialogue during its preparations for the UN Food Systems Summit. These discussions brought together diverse stakeholders to identify the country’s key food system challenges and explore potential solutions. At the time, the food systems concept and approach were still new to many. Director-General Chantal Ingabire recalls:

"Integrating a food systems perspective into our national strategies and policies was new, and not everyone was convinced it was the right direction. I remember consultations where some thought we were being overly ambitious, given the broad scope of the approach. Others questioned how we envisioned implementing such a comprehensive transformation agenda, especially since previous editions of our PSTAs had primarily focused on value chains. However, thanks to these consultations, the concept of food systems is now widely embraced, and collaboration across stakeholders and sectors has become much smoother under the PSTA5."

Collective learning and generating a deeper understanding of issues at stake

To gain a more comprehensive understanding of the challenges at hand, MINAGRI, in collaboration with its partners, organized a three-day knowledge seminar in November 2023. The event brought together national and international experts, with over 250 stakeholders participating in discussions, as well as different assessments conducted by several partners covering areas such as nutrition, climate adaptation, agriculture innovation, and digitalization. These conversations explored successful approaches and innovative ideas from other countries in the region, helping shape the formulation of PSTA5. The knowledge obtained from the discussions helped to transition the Plan from an Agriculture strategy into a more resilient strategy focused on food systems. 

Hilda Vasanthakaalam reflects on the seminar’s impact: “While awareness of nutrition's importance has grown over time, communicating its impact to high-level officials remains a challenge. The knowledge seminar transformed how interconnected challenges—particularly in nutrition—were understood. While awareness of nutrition’s importance has grown over time, communicating its impact to high-level officials remained a challenge. The seminar bridged this gap by clearly illustrating how inadequate nutrition directly affects children's cognitive development, which in turn ultimately influences their productivity and the country’s ability to meet the economic goals of Vision 2050. By breaking down these complex linkages, the seminar made a lasting impact, ensuring that decision-makers fully grasped and embraced the message.”

To support this transition to a more holistic approach—and to ensure that policies create the right conditions for investments in agriculture and food systems to meaningfully reduce food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, while also addressing other challenges—a training programme is being delivered for civil servants across relevant institutions. Launched in late 2023, MINAGRI and its partners introduced the Policy Learning Programme, comprising six modules designed for national policymakers, civil servants, analysts, academics, and other key stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of agrifood-related policies.

Training delivered to date has focused on adopting systems approaches to transform agrifood systems, strengthening public sector staff capacities in systems thinking, promoting sub-regional trade in the agriculture sector, and exploring best practices and innovative solutions for climate-smart agriculture. The programme has equipped policymakers with skills to apply systems thinking throughout the entire policy cycle. Additional modules will address critical topics such as nutrition, political economy, and public–private partnerships, further strengthening participants' ability to drive effective and integrated policy implementation.

Unfinished journey: what lies ahead

Achieving better policy alignment is a complex process influenced by many factors. These include how well people understand trade-offs and synergies, the inclusiveness of decision-making, power dynamics, and conflicting interests. Key structural elements, such as clear roles and responsibilities, resource allocation, and how policies are implemented, also play an important role. These factors can either help or hinder policy alignment, so it’s crucial to focus on inclusive decision-making and effective coordination.

The PSTA5 encompasses multiple policy priorities, including stunting reduction, youth and gender inclusion, economic development, and climate change adaptation. However, aligning these priorities during implementation remains a challenge, as each is managed by different ministries, guided by separate instruments, and supported by distinct funding streams. Achieving effective coordination across sectors and different interest groups requires a shared narrative that all stakeholders can understand and relate to. As Sakina Usengimana explains:

“It’s important to clarify and simplify the language we use in food system approaches, especially if we want to engage young people. When we talk about nutrition, what does this involve? What does climate change mean for food systems transformation in our country? We need to simplify the messages and show youth how they can be involved in implementing the PSTA5.”

A 2024 report by IFPRI, AGRA and IDRC highlights key governance challenges affecting the implementation of the PSTA5, including policy coherence, institutional capacity, coordination, and power dynamics. According to the report, policy coherence across key sectors for food systems transformation—such as agriculture, health, education, infrastructure, and environment—needs strengthening. It calls for a more integrated policy framework to ensure that different sectoral policies are mutually reinforcing. Additionally, enhancing data-sharing mechanisms between ministries and agencies can improve coordination and help identify how policy changes in one sector impact others.

Local institutions, including agricultural extension services, local government bodies, and community organizations, face capacity constraints, such as limited human resources and technical expertise, which affect their ability to implement policies effectively. These institutions also often lack the authority to tailor national policies to local contexts, further complicating implementation.

Another key challenge identified was weak coordination among stakeholders and sectors involved in Rwanda’s food system. The report calls for the establishment of an inter-ministerial task force or coordination body to streamline initiatives, prevent conflicting approaches, and optimize resource allocation. Furthermore, understanding power dynamics and political incentives is essential to ensuring that policy implementation and related investments align with the broader objective of building a resilient, sustainable, and inclusive food system in Rwanda.

Mehnaz Ajmal Paracha explains:

“For the PSTA5, Rwanda established structured inter-ministerial dialogues during the planning phase, but formal mechanisms for sustained collaboration during execution remain limited. Historically, ministries have operated within their own mandates, but now under the NST2, the government is taking steps to align these efforts, working across sectoral boundaries to enable joint programming and enhance policy coherence. Still, implementation will present challenges, but the government is committed to addressing them using a systems-based approach.”

Steps forward and emerging opportunities

The Rwandan government has already implemented several measures to improve policy alignment and coordination. The Office of the Prime Minister oversees collaboration with development partners, ensuring their support aligns with national strategies. Various mechanisms, such as Sector Working Groups, the Inter-ministerial Coordination Meeting, and the Integrated Development Plans Steering Committee, have been established to enhance coordination. Additionally, the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning plays a critical role in promoting policy coherence by reviewing budgets and plans, ensuring that cross-cutting priorities—such as gender mainstreaming—are effectively integrated. Rwanda’s Vision 2050 and NST2, which outline the country’s long-term economic goals, provide a structured framework to which various sector strategies must align, fostering greater coherence.

Each ministry in Rwanda conducts two joint sector reviews annually, bringing together key stakeholders. One review is forward-looking, identifying key policy actions for the next fiscal year based on past achievements. The other is backward-looking, assessing progress and recalibrating priorities. These reviews are typically led by the sectoral ministries, the Inter-ministerial Coordination Meeting, and economic and social clusters. Looking ahead, expanding these reviews to foster more cross-sectoral dialogue could strengthen food systems governance by encouraging greater alignment across sectors and partners.

To advance its food systems agenda and enhance coordination, Rwanda is currently establishing a technical delivery unit for the PSTA5 under the Agriculture Sector Working Group, also referred to as the Rwanda Food System Coordination Hub. This unit will be responsible for coordinating stakeholders in the food system, ensuring joint planning, and streamlining resource mobilization efforts. As the Food Systems Convenor, MINAGRI recognises the need to strengthen coordination for greater implementation of food systems priorities across sectors.

Photo: In Gakindo, a farmer applies natural inputs to protect and nourish his crops—part of a broader shift toward practices that work with the land, not against it, to strengthen food systems in the face of climate pressures. © FAO/Marco Longari.

Director-General Chantal Ingabire explains:

“The novelty with PSTA5 is we have moved beyond working in silos; we are collaborating across sectors, developing programs together and ensuring joint implementation and follow-up. Moving forward, we must further enhance coordination. While some coordination structures exist, they need to be strengthened—especially since implementing PSTA5 interventions involves multiple institutions beyond MINAGRI.”

Looking ahead, Rwanda plans to invest in a shared Monitoring and Evaluation system to track progress across the various institutions involved in implementing PSTA5. Such an investment will enhance transparency, improve alignment of interventions across the priorities, and help prevent duplication of efforts.

Additionally, Rwanda is working with partners to develop a financial tracking system for food systems. This initiative aims to enhance the country's ability to monitor financial flows, ensuring a structured, data-driven approach to track investments and outcomes related to food systems. By systematically tracking budgets across various ministries and partners—both those directly and indirectly engaged in food systems transformation—the system will highlight the interconnected nature of food systems work, emphasizing that its success extends beyond the Ministry of Agriculture to multiple ministries and sectors.

The highlights

Photo: Solar-powered irrigation in Rwanda is helping farmers adapt to climate change, improve water use efficiency, and strengthen local livelihoods. © FAO/Teopista Mutesi

Rwanda’s adoption of a food systems approach marks a fundamental shift in how the country addresses its food, agricultural and nutritional challenges. Moving away from a narrow focus on wealth creation through agricultural production, the new strategy recognizes the deep interconnections between food security, climate resilience, nutrition, and economic development. This shift has led to a more holistic understanding of how different issues intersect, encouraging greater cross-sector collaboration and prompting policymakers to engage beyond their traditional areas of work. Another key change has been the diversification of financial allocation, ensuring that investments extend beyond production to better include nutrition, market infrastructure, climate adaptation, and rural development.

One of the most significant achievements of this approach has been the engagement of a broader range of stakeholders—from government ministries to private sector actors, civil society organizations, and local farmers. This inclusive collaboration has helped create a shared vision that acknowledges the complexities of food-related challenges and the need for integrated solutions. The success of this transformation is largely attributed to strong political will, trust-based collaboration among institutions, inclusive stakeholder engagement, and leveraging diverse expertise to drive policy change.

However, sustaining inter-ministerial collaboration remains a significant challenge, as sectors continue to operate under distinct mandates and funding structures. Strengthening inclusive governance mechanisms to further enhance policy alignment—such as the establishment of a technical delivery unit for PSTA5—will be essential for long-term success. Additionally, building technical capacity within government institutions and enhancing data-sharing mechanisms will be essential for tracking progress and refining policies based on real-time evidence.

As Rwanda continues on this path, its experience offers a valuable model for other countries seeking to navigate the complexities of food system transformation. By prioritizing interconnected solutions and fostering collective action, Rwanda is positioning itself as a leader in building resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems for the future.

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Learn more

Read Rwanda's 5th Strategic Plan for Agricultural Transformation (PSTA 5)

Read Workshop Report on Training for Policymakers on Agrifood Systems Transformation (FAO, 2025)

Read Rwanda's journey towards sustainable food systems: The processes and practices that made a difference (FAO, 2021)

Report

A guide for multi-stakeholder collaboration

Food Systems Thinking Guide for UN Resident Coordinators and UN Country Teams