NATIONAL DIALOGUE ON AFRICAN FOOD POLICY LEMIGO HOTEL, 16TH APRIL 2021

1.INTRODUCTION

In partnership AFSA (Alliance for Food Sovereignty in Africa), ACORD Rwanda organized a consultative meeting with members of the National Reference Group (NRG) on the issue of food policy in Rwanda and in Africa.

The National Reference Group is a think tankwhose members are from different backgrounds:Government (policy makers), development partners, NGOs and CSO; Farmers organizations, Consumers organizations;associations, businesses, media, academia, farming communitiesand  women groups.

The meeting, prepared by a steering committee, was meant to pave the way for a further consultation of high level actors involved in the implementation of national policies related to the food system in Rwanda.

The outcome of the consultations at national level will be validated  in a document which will be channeled to AFSA who is coordinating with others countries and the AU commission, for sharing and consolidation  in view of elaborating a sustainable food policy for the continent.

2.BACKGROUND

In Rwanda like elsewhere in Africa, corporates and private companies in search of more income and profits are hijacking food systems. For those private actors, food is just a marketable commodity than an inclusive right. They care less on the impacts of their operations along the food value chain on the environmental degradation, malnutrition, the rise in Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), cultural erosion, and loss of diversity and nobody is holding them accountable. In the same trend, governments and development partners are working hard to increase the agricultural productivity as a way to increase wealth (GDP) in order to address the issues of feeding the growing population and raise the GDP. Food related policies are being shaped to support the FDI and to facilitate the private sector led economies.

As a result, today Africa has the highest incidence of food borne illnesses and chronic malnutritionleading to millions of deaths and acute illnesses. In Africa,  the levels of diet-related non-communicable diseases are rising as a result of rapid urbanisation, and rapidly changing food systems and the diets have become the leading contributor to global environmental degradation, affecting land, water, biodiversity, climate and air quality.  It became imperative to engage and involve citizens in the search of solutions and alternatives to reverse the trends, hence the partnership between AFSA and ACORD Rwanda to consult stakeholders through a national food policy dialogue.

3.       DELIBERATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

3.1.      Deliberations from the National Dialogue

3.1.1.        Definition of a good food system

The definition According to the International Food Policy Research Institute IFPRI was improved as follow:  Food systems are the sum of actors and interactions along the food value chain from land use,  input supply, production of crops, livestock, fish, and other agricultural commodities to  harvesting, transportation, storing, processing, packaging, wholesaling, , retailing, and preparation of foods to consumption and disposal

A FOOD SYSTEM IS GOOD WHEN: 

• The food is accessible, inclusive and enough
• The food is healthy, nutritious, safe and balanced
• The food is produced ecologically and environment friendly
• The operations along the entire food value chain are sustainable
•  The food is diverse from crops, livestock and fish.
• The food in surplus to the family needs is sold to market (profit generation) at the right price

3.1.2.    Principles for the sustainable food system we want in Rwanda

Among the chief principles are the following:

• We produce our own food using a sustainable farmer-based seed system and inputs (less dependency on imports), with a particular attention to the improvement of indigenous seeds and other healthy practices: ecological farming ,  storing  practices, cooking, etc .
• We produce food in harmony with nature without degrading lands, ecosystems and biodiversity
• We increase agro-ecological practices and biodiversity, reduce industrial agrochemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, microbial, and provide extensive information to all stakeholders on the side effects of these industrial inputs (filling information gaps).
• We build the capacities of food producers, dealers and consumers in informed choices about safe and healthy food and diets, and about the advantages/disadvantages of various practices or choices at every stage of each value chain.
• We put in place a certification system that supports farmers along the food production value chain, starting from the quality of the land and the water used in food production.
• Farmers’s voice is well organized and heard in FS governance, especially women’s voice who are the most involved at very sensitive stages of every value chain.

In addition, the participants to the national dialogue emphasized the following aspects in order to sustainably build  a just and resilient  food system in Rwanda

• We help farmers getting more post-harvest facilities, small processing units managed by themselves,  and better feeding roads in their neighborhood.
• We take more initiatives in linking farmers to markets and facilitate their access to the strategic information needed in this process, by dealing with the existing knowledge gap in this domain.
• We encourage platforms and clusters linked with value chains, for a better dissemination of strategic information between key actors and  their networking.
• We train the Rwandan population in the diversification of their eating habits (change of cultural mindsets) in order to diversify their sources of proteins and vitamins, particularly from diverse insects and the flora
• All policies related to the food system in Rwanda are reviewed, integrated, harmonized and coordinated by leading structure (working group) at the government and the parliament levels.
• We integrate the factor of population growth and family planning in our food policy, as we can’t increase production indefinitely when farming lands are not extensible.

3.1.3.    Existing policies and strategies that need to be coherent for a sustainable food system in Rwanda

For a sustainable food system in Rwanda, the following policies need coherence to the national food policy

• The National land use & management policy (for demarcation and protection of arable lands)
• The National Agriculture policy and its implementation strategy PSTA4 (for sustainable production model in harmony with nature and ecosystems, and biodiversity)
• The national trade policy together with the National Industry Policy (for post-harvest, processing, storing and distribution all over the country)
• The Climate change policy (natural resources and services, biodiversity)
• The National Food and Nutrition strategy (for healthy diets for all and for specific groups)
• The National quality and standards policy (for food quality assurance and certification. along the chain).
• The family planning policy
• The gender policy
• The habitat/housing policy

3.1.4.    Main policy Gaps in the food policy and system

Participants to the national dialogue discussed and agreed on the following policy gaps in relation to building a sustainable food system:

• Though most policies have a provision on coordination with concerned institutions, participants noted unanimously the lack of a coherent food policy, cutting across sectors and joining up different levels of governance, means that accountability is hugely dispersed. 
• Despite the term sustainability is present in many policy documents, most policies converge towards supporting the increase of productivity and income through the conventional agriculture using industrial inputs and market export oriented, while nature based inputs and ecological livelihoods are listed in few specific policies.
• The national agricultural policy does not articulate enough on Sustainability and healthy diets in the modern agribusiness technologies professionalizing farmers in terms of production, commercialisation of the outputs and the creation of a competitive agriculture sector.
• The trade policy provides for an opportunity to invest in agroecological organic agriculture for both food and cash crops and for both domestic and export consumption. But in over all, it is more export and conventional oriented
• The National food and nutrition policy need to go beyond nutrition and increasing the availability of calories, to encompass the entire structure and governance of the food system in Rwanda;
• The Made in Rwanda policy supports the SFS by promoting of off farms jobs and income, especially for those who eat after work, those who earn money to buy food are on the increase; but there is a gap in promoting rural agroprocessing towards a SFS
• The National Fertilizer Policy need to be updated to focus on the adverse role of industrial agrochemicals in the soil and human health, hence the need to leverage their utilisation in food and livestock production;
• The National Social Protection policy provides for good practice of Inclusiveness of the vulnerable groups and extremely poor, and marginalised groups; but there is no substantial and strategic infrastructures  towards a SFS in service to the poorest
• The National Quality and standards Control policy is essential for the SFS to ensure certified quality of food and health diets for all; it needs to be enhanced to address the critical issues related to processed and imported unsafe food stuffs.

The table below summarizes the policies, food system structure and related gaps and opportunities

Policy level	Food System structure	Suggested Gaps What is not well articulated in the policies?	Suggested Opportunities
-Global Policy: The SDG agenda 2030	Global food chains	-The global policy is failing to stop the corporations in Overexploitation of Global natural resources, the CC crisis and  Food  financial flows from GMOs, agrochemicals, microbials, etc	– Global commitments agreements for One planet /Global resources – The global CSO advocacy agenda
-Panafrican policy: CAADP and agenda 2063	Continental Food Trade /distr	The need for Africans to discuss the continental food policy they want rather led by corporations interests	-Africa Unique naturalresources, -Cultural, social cohesion, -CFTA & common market
-EAC policy: The EAC food and nutrition security action plan	EAC Regional Produc and distribution	-The policy relies on member countries sovereignty -Food certification and SPS measures across borders are not harmonised	The EAC common market, the CFTA
-Rwanda’s Vision 2050  “the Rwanda we want” -7Years Government Programme: National Strategy for Transformation 2017 – 2024	Rwanda	-Focuses on productivity rather than o keeping on board healthy diets as an outcomes from professional farmers and food value chains  -While climate resilience is in high gear in the NST1, the transition to agroecology for sustainable food system and healthy diets for all is not mentioned	– Leadership, long term planning – The National Land Use and Development Master Plan (2020-2050) provides the spatial location and preservation of agricultural land.
-Land use & management policy 2019 -Envi&CC policy, -Biodiversity policy	Resources Allocation and mgt	-lack of Articulation of  farmers rights to Land sovereignty – the voice of rural farmers not  better organised and coordinated	-Swamps for irrigation, rivers banks, Water bodies, Rich biodiversity, afforestation , – cooperatives
Seed policy Agrochemicals policy, National fertilizer Policy (2014).	Farm inputs (Seeds, tools, fertilizers)	– Farmers based seed systems.?, (i) Extinction of endogenous seeds, (ii) Dependence of farmers on commissioners of inputs,(iii) Massive use of agrochemicals and pesticides, (iv) Little investments in agro ecological alternatives.	-Rural farmers still keep and use some peasant seeds (75% of seeds), -Low penetration of agrochemicals in remote areas.
Agricultural policy Agricultural Strategic plan PSTA 4	Production (local or imported crops and livestock)	– Sustainability and healthy diets in the modern agribusiness technologies ,   -Increase of  productivity VS  Integration of agroecology , – two production models: conventional and agroecological	The policy has a lists of some good practices  includin -All land registration, Land use consolidation; -Soil erosion and degradation, -Agriculture insurance scheme
National Industrial policy Agroprocessing policy	Processing Post-harvest handling, storage and markets, wastes /losses	-A specific agroprocessingpolicy  to promote nascent agro processors  to satisfy the local consumption  in healthy diets -Mostagroprocessing units work under capacity	-Introduction of appropriate technologies (environment and climate friendly). -Fresh products consumed in rural areas and sold in rural markets.
Trade policy Made in Rwanda policy (2018) Quality and standards  policy	Distribution Transport, Marketing	-Enhanced quality control and standards of imported food stuffs across borders.,  -Invest in agroecological organic agriculture for both food and cash crops, – Post-harvest handling and wastes , Perishables goods	-Fresh food from rural areas and collected from markets to cities., – local markets; -Good practices  , the  national trade forum.
National food and nutrition policy National Early Childhood Development Strategy The National Social Protection Policy (2020). Consumers protection policy	Consumption Preparation Eating preferences Wastes /losses	-Stunting in children and the NCD diseases on the rise in adults                            -Our markets,  and supermarkets are full of imported food stuff with unknown origin, – value chain for certified agroecological food is yet to be officialised, certified inputs /seeds, lands, production, post-harvest, shops, markets , etc)	-National campaign against non-communicable diseases related to malnutrition and unsafe diets;, -Socio Cultural food still prepared in rural areas (traditional meals); some capacity building for consumers .

3.1.5.    Underlyingproblems that the current food system is facing in Rwanda

Participants to the national dialogue discussed and emphasized the following issues

–   The lack of a specific and coherent food policy (to guide the food value chain, food safety, healthy diets)

–   The lack of right balance between conventional agriculture and the agro-ecological model of food production

–   The weaknesses in Food system related to agricultural research and development

–   The dependency on inputs and seeds imports (the need to build farmers-based system)

–   The need for rehabilitation, improvement and recognition of endogenous seeds in parallel with the use of exotic seeds recognized for their productivity and safety.

–   The need for increasing the capacity building of producers, dealers and consumers in re to quality and safety of food

–   The need to enhance trade facilitation of agroecological organic food (step forward to certified food value chains).

–   The world trend of economic superpowers controlling food production and consumption as way of controlling the world.

–   The cultural hindrances in food consumption limiting food availability and diet balance.

–   The low investment in substitution products (agroecological organic inputs) to industrial inputs.

–   The challenge of misusing fertilizers in accordance with required norms, which must be clearly explained,  rather than thinking  of an all-organic agriculture for the country  (unrealistic vision  for the government).

–   The Need of remaining careful when promoting the use of compost (organic agriculture), as it can also lead to environment degradation when it is not well managed

–   Linking farmers to markets remains a big challenge:  Farmers are embarked by corporates in producing for markets but their products are substandard and rejected by food processing units, hence their end up at local markets to be consumed by citizens.

3.1.6.    Recommendations from the national food policy dialogue

Participants to the national dialogue made the following

General recommendations

•   The policies and strategies should sustain food and nutrition security, boost intra-country trade in agricultural goods and services, and enhance resilience of production systems and livelihoods to climate change and related shocks;

•   Strengthening a strong partnership and coordination among key institutions working in food systems to ensure a coordinated approach on targeting of agricultural asset transfer schemes and agricultural extension services to poor and vulnerable population groups as well as food and nutrition security activities;

•   The national fertilizer policy is essential for the SFS to ensure that ecosystems and biodiversity services are safeguarded for future generations. However, the policy needs to be updated to focus on the adverse role of industrial agrochemicals in the soil and human health, hence the need to leverage their utilization in food and livestock production;

•   Expand the range of priority crops under the crop intensification program taking into consideration new crop varieties with high nutrient content and nutritional benefits;

•   Promote and support development of post-harvest management, storage and processing technologies at community and household level and awareness of safe handling of food items and safe storage.

•   Set up the National think tank on Rwanda SFS to take forward the SFS policy

Specific recommendations

1. There is an urgent need to have a coherent food policy at national and continental levels

2. For the smooth transition to a sustainable food system in Rwanda and Africa, there is a need to consider the priority investments in the following order:

• (a) Leveraging the food production model /agro-ecological or conventional,
  • (b) More investments in food distribution and trade including post-harvest waste eradication and strategic stocks, the improvement of infrastructures, etc..
  • (c) The enhanced nutritional quality and certification
  • (d) The enhanced control of processed and imported food stuffs, 
  • (e) The promotion and certification of traditional endogenous seeds and other inputs
  • (f) more capacity building efforts and information dissemination for both producers and consumers (rural farmers’ voice)

3. There is an urgent need to create a specific working groupat a higher level of government (prime ministry) in charge of guiding and advising the design of a national food policy and the set up of a coordination and accountability system along the food system structure (which can be supported by a working group in parliament)

4. There is a need to enhance the voice of small farmers, particularly women and youth  in the governance of the food system, the later is dominated by the corporates interests

5. There is an opportunity to consider and share the good practices from Rwanda with other countries and come up with a continental food policy. These include -a range of food related policies, all land registration, land use & development masterplan 2050, -Water allocation model, -agriculture and livestock insurance scheme, establishment of industrial parks,made in Rwanda products, plastic ban since 2008, gender streamlining in the food system, etc..

6. There are good examples of targets and prime indicators that can be used to measure the progress towards building a sustainable food system in Rwanda and Africa. These include -the performance of the farmers-based food system and its dependency on external inputs, – the volume of imported food, -the Taxation rate on non-essential imported food, -the volume of investment in food system related Research & development-the rate of integration of agroecological practices into the Monoculture system (intercropping and diversification) – the volume of investments in post-harvestinfrastructures and strategic food stocks

Compiled by ACORD Rwanda, April 2021