Rwanda and IFAD step up investments in sustainable and productive food systems

With adaptation finance needs estimated at about US$50bn a year for Sub-Saharan Africa, the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Government of Rwanda are playing their part by launching the Rwanda Dairy Development Project (RDDP) phase II

Building on the successes of the previous phase, the US$100.37mn project will scale up sustainable interventions along the dairy value chain that improves efficiencies, access to markets, nutrition, increase productivity and reduce poverty for rural poor households in 27 districts in Rwanda over the next six years.

The dairy sector in the country has grown significantly over the years with milk production increasing nine-fold, shifting the country from a milk importer to becoming selfsufficient. To address the low milk production, RDDP phase II will encourage farmers to adopt zero grazing and replace the local breeds with improved breeds that produce more milk reducing the need to keep many cows.

To sustain the increased production, the project will support farmers establish mixed pastures intercropping fodder and food crops, increase access to water by promoting water harvesting at household level and bring extension services closer to the farmers. Also, to address the loss of money along the dairy value chain from production to consumption, the project will build the capacities of small-scale farmers to transport milk to collection centres, strengthen capacities of dairy cooperatives, leverage renewable energy and promote local smallscale milk processing.