On December 12, Dina Umali-Deininger, the World Bank Practice Manager, Agriculture Global Practice, paid a courtesy call on Minister of agriculture and Animal Resources Dr Gerardine Mukeshimana and they discussed on key areas in agriculture where the World Bank can support the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) to empower farmers on the ground and enable them to improve their livelihoods.
Potentials areas where the World Bank would support the ministry include building resilience of farmers and enable them increase productivity by providing them with small scale irrigation facilities, low-cost mechanization equipment, high-value crops, and post-harvest infrastructure.
The officials also discussed how both sides can work together to help the smallholder farmers get to good markets, and the best way to manage the national strategic reserve.
Both sides commended the way they have been partnering in taking Rwanda’s agriculture sector to the next level, and reiterated their commitment to make even greater strides.
Over the past years, the World Bank operations in Rwanda have helped increase productivity in marshlands and hillsides, and supported investments in rural infrastructure to link productive areas to markets.