ASSESSMENT OF MAIZE PRODUCTION SYSTEM DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN RWANDA: CASE STUDY OF KIGALI CITY REGION

The SARS-CoV-2 virus caused a major transformation in the food system globally including in Rwanda. This research identified and assessed the status and structure of the maize production system in the Kigali city region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methods adopted for this study include both quantitative and qualitative methods using primary data obtained from the participants’ interview and focus group discussions, the secondary data were obtained from national institute of statistics of Rwanda (NISR). While production, processing, distribution and consumption are the four parts of the maize production system, the study only focused on the production system. The sample size for the study was 256 respondents who were maize production system actors from the Kigali city region. The study showed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the prize of dried maize was significantly influenced by the cost of diammonium phosphate (DAP) (p=0.000), the source of the irrigating scheme (p=0.008), being a cooperative member (p=0.000) and marital status (p=0.002). During the pandemic, DAP (p=0.109) was absent at market due to lockdowns, and farmers did not access it. Maize farmers-built responses of resilience, persistence, adaptation, transformation, and persistence to encounter the consequences of the lockdowns. Innovative responses to shortage of maize- input stocks, and poor imports were presented, which represented 26.66% of resilient responses adopted by farmers. The innovative responses to labor shortage with farm workers` migration to their home provinces before and during the implementation of containment measures were 20%. Resilience built against the absence of extension services due to restricted movements was 13.33%. Reactions to restricted movement to and from fields, and adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic containing measures were 26.66 %, while reaction to the shortage of dried -maize at the market, which shortened the maize production cycle was 13.33%. Apart from maize production, more than half of the maize selling system were women 51.61%. Women in raw maize processing were 67.67% with a 100% level of university

ASSESSMENT OF MAIZE PRODUCTION SYSTEM DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC IN RWANDA: CASE STUDY OF KIGALI CITY REGION

The SARS-CoV-2 virus caused a major transformation in the food system globally including in Rwanda. This research identified and assessed the status and structure of the maize production system in the Kigali city region before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. The methods adopted for this study include both quantitative and qualitative methods using primary data obtained from the participants’ interview and focus group discussions, the secondary data were obtained from national institute of statistics of Rwanda (NISR). While production, processing, distribution and consumption are the four parts of the maize production system, the study only focused on the production system. The sample size for the study was 256 respondents who were maize production system actors from the Kigali city region. The study showed that before the COVID-19 pandemic, the prize of dried maize was significantly influenced by the cost of diammonium phosphate (DAP) (p=0.000), the source of the irrigating scheme (p=0.008), being a cooperative member (p=0.000) and marital status (p=0.002). During the pandemic, DAP (p=0.109) was absent at market due to lockdowns, and farmers did not access it. Maize farmers-built responses of resilience, persistence, adaptation, transformation, and persistence to encounter the consequences of the lockdowns. Innovative responses to shortage of maize- input stocks, and poor imports were presented, which represented 26.66% of resilient responses adopted by farmers. The innovative responses to labor shortage with farm workers` migration to their home provinces before and during the implementation of containment measures were 20%. Resilience built against the absence of extension services due to restricted movements was 13.33%. Reactions to restricted movement to and from fields, and adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic containing measures were 26.66 %, while reaction to the shortage of dried -maize at the market, which shortened the maize production cycle was 13.33%. Apart from maize production, more than half of the maize selling system were women 51.61%. Women in raw maize processing were 67.67% with a 100% level of university

Access to Finance for Youth SMEs in Rwanda: A Look at Youth SME Financing Impediments From A Policy Perspective

In many developing countries and developed countries alike, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the lead drivers of job creation and economic development. This review paper explores access to finance for youth-led Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), analyses youth SME financing impediments from a policy perspective and concludes with a consolidated view and relevant recommendations to enable youth in developing countries like Rwanda to build thriving businesses

Analysis of Perceived Competitive Forces Influencing Tree Tomato Value Chains in Rwanda

The globalization of economies has added many new challenges to global agriculture. Agriculture not only needs to compete in foreign markets but also in domestic markets. The production and export of tree tomatoes remain extremely weak in Rwanda despite horticulture sector-specific economic policies in favour of the production and export of horticultural crops by the government of Rwanda. The goal of this study was to analyse the competitive performance of Rwanda's tree tomato value chain to shape the tree tomato industry in Rwanda for the benefit of smallholder farmers and the Rwandan Economy. One hundred twenty (120) respondents were surveyed for this study using a semi-structured questionnaire and focus group discussions. Participants were stratified into groups as traders (80), institutional consumers (12), and household consumers (28) all from Bugesera, Nyabihu, Rubavu districts and Kigali markets (Nyabugogo, Nyarugenge and Kimironko). Key enablers (International Centre for Research in Agroforestry, Rwanda Agricultural Board, National Agricultural Export Board, and Ministry of Commerce and Financial institutions) provided useful information related to the tree tomato value chain in Rwanda. The findings of this study show that factors that hamper the tree tomato value chain competitiveness in Rwanda are related to bargaining power. Overall 63% of respondents who were tree tomato suppliers and 58.43% of respondents who were tree tomato buyers agreed that the bargaining power of suppliers and buyers hamper the competitiveness of the value chain. The study found that 70% of traders and 57% of consumers and institutional consumers preferred the tree tomato. Therefore, tree tomato is highly linked to consumers, traders, and institutions than banana which is the 38th fruit highly scored. The severity of the threat to the tree tomato industry is new entrants into the tree tomato industry, the intensity of rivalry in existing key competitors, and the severity of the threat of substitutes. The strategies proposed to improve on the competitiveness of the tree tomato industry comprise of improving collaboration of tree tomato chain actors. This study found that 75.69% of the sampled key actors agree that the highest criteria to be considered are the product quality, and 64.74% of the sampled key actors settled on product quality as the least criteria

Framework For Supporting Countries To Address The Food Crisis And Malnutrition In The African Region

Of the world's undernourished children, 80% live in 20 countries; nine of these are in sub-Saharan Africa. Africa is home to 15 of the 16 countries where prevalence of hunger exceeds 35 per cent. This precarious food security situation in Africa has been compounded by economic and food crises which began in 2007, resulting in a rise by about 83% in food commodity prices.When food is in short supply, safety is compromised resulting in the consumption of unsafe food. Assuring safe food and ending malnutrition require decisive actions in several areas. In line with its Core Functions, global and regional agreements and as a key player in health, the WHO's vital role in addressing the food crisis is in preventing the effects of food insecurity, undernutrition and unsafe food. In order to scale-up actions to address the adverse effects of food insecurity and malnutrition in the African Region, the forty-fourth session of the Regional Programme Meeting (RPM44) discussed the topic Food Crisis in Africa: Implications for Nutrition and Food Safety Actions in the Region. A framework was therefore developed to facilitate joint actions in addressing the food crisis and malnutrition in the WHO African Region for better impact at country level. This paper provides a summary of the Framework which highlight WHO's role in the area of nutrition. It has four guiding principles: Country- level interventions, Community involvement and ownership; Adoption of multi-sectoral approach; Protection of vulnerable groups; and Evidence- based interventions. The Framework proposes actions to be implemented in countries with support of WHO and partners to meet the immediate food and nutritional needs of the vulnerable and build longer-term resilience to contribute to national food security. The expected impact of the implementation of these actions with support from WHO and partners is prevention of morbidity, mortality and the irreversible long-term effects of malnutrition on health and cognitive development