The incoming head of the EU Ambassador-designate to Rwanda Belen Calvo Uyarra display the agreement after signing.
Rwanda and European Union have signed a financing agreement worth € 69 million, approximately Rwf72.5 billion to address food security and climate change challenges, through a program dubbed “Transformational climate-smart and inclusive agriculture.”
This finance agreement aims at establishing sustainable agricultural transformation, fostering Rwanda’s agricultural transition to socially and environmentally inclusive food systems, environmental and climate sustainability.
According to Minister of Finance and Economic Planning, the project will contribute to Rwanda’s Nationally determined contribution’s objective on climate adaptation.
It was signed between Dr. Uzziel Ndagijimana, Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Belen Calvo Uyarra, European Union Ambassador-designate to Rwanda in Kigali city on October 6.
“The financial support we just signed today is a timely contribution to our National Strategy for Transformation for modernization and strengthening the productivity of agriculture and livestock while promoting sustainable management of the environment and natural resources to transition Rwanda towards a Green Economy,” Dr. Ndagijimana said.
The three-year financing agreement is also expected to reinforce Rwanda-EU bilateral cooperation and advance on common interests.
It will be implemented under a budget support-sector reform contract worth € 52 million. The budget support will target progress achieved on farmer’s incomes and better services delivery to farmers at local level including land husbandry and climate-smart agricultural practices with a focus on agroforestry and landscape restoration.
The second complementary support fund worth€ 17 million will support inclusive and sustainable high-value chains (horticulture and aquaculture) via a contribution agreement with the Belgian Development Agency-Enabel, (€ 10 million).
Under, complementary support fund, the technical assistance fund worth € 7 million will support the Ministry of Agriculture and animal resources, Ministry of Environment and related agencies in the policy design, monitoring and implementation.
“The European Union has a long-standing partnership with Rwanda and we are proud to be one of the key partners in the country’s path to sustainable development. With this strategy we renew the EU’s commitment to support pro-poor, sustainable and inclusive economic growth, by focusing on a green deal for agricultural transformation and achieving Rwanda’s climate adaptation goals,” Amb. Belen Calvo Uyarra said.
