The current 4th phase of the Strategic Plan for the Agriculture Transformation (PSTA4) [2018-2024] as well as the 3 previous phases have all put gender mainstreaming and women empowerment on the front of what’s being done along the whole agriculture value chain in Rwanda, Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, Dr Gerardine Mukeshimana, has said.

The minister made the statement on July 19, 2019 while sharing Rwanda’s experience on promoting women investments in agriculture sector with participants to the High Level Dialogue on Women Investments in Agriculture Sector that took place at Rwanda Parliament in Kigali.

The High Level Dialogue brought together participants from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) network of parliamentarians, the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA) and civil society.

Minister Mukeshimana told the parliamentarians that the 4th PSTA4 puts emphasis on gender mainstreaming in all priority areas including innovation and extension; productivity and resilience; inclusive markets and value addition; enabling environment and responsive institutions.

As results of the gender mainstreaming, women are very active and well represented along the agriculture value chain. Across Rwanda, the share of agriculture women workers in the total labor force are 64%. Women engaged into agriculture cooperative leadership are 42% while those engaged in extension activities are 43.2%.
Women represent 31% of tea producers, 32% of coffee producers, 56.5% in the horticulture value chain, and 38 % of horticulture exporting companies are owned by women