The government is set to establish a new food innovation partnership to help transform agricultural ideas and technologies into market-ready solutions, Minister of State for Agriculture and Animal Resources Solange Uwituze has said.
Uwituze said the Rwanda Food Innovation Partnership (RFIP), which will implement the newly approved Rwanda Food Innovation Ecosystem Strategy (RFIES) 2026-2035, will bring together innovators, researchers, investors, regulators and government institutions to accelerate progress in the food sector.
"The aim is to create a coordinated pathway where innovations can move faster from ideas and research into testing, investment and commercialisation," she said.
Cabinet approved the strategy on July 24, paving the way for the establishment of RFIP, a platform expected to strengthen Rwanda's food systems by promoting innovation, investment and technology adoption.
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In an interview with The New Times, Uwituze explained why Rwanda needs a food innovation ecosystem, how the partnership will operate and what impact it is expected to have on farmers, businesses and consumers.
Why Rwanda needs a food innovation ecosystem
The Rwanda Food Innovation Ecosystem Strategy was co-developed with support from AGRA and the World Economic Forum.
Agriculture remains one of Rwanda's most important sectors, contributing about a quarter of GDP and employing around 60 per cent of the workforce. However, productivity, value addition and nutrition outcomes remain below the country's ambitions.
Uwituze said Rwanda continues to face challenges including high post-harvest losses, low mechanisation, limited value addition, persistent child stunting and inadequate private investment in agricultural innovation.
She said these challenges cannot be addressed through traditional agriculture programmes alone.
"The strategy seeks to complement existing interventions by connecting agriculture, technology, research, regulation and investment," she said.
Globally, food systems are being transformed by innovations such as artificial intelligence, biotechnology, precision agriculture, climate-smart production, alternative proteins and modern food processing.
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Uwituze said Rwanda studied countries such as the Netherlands, which became one of the world's largest agricultural exporters through strong partnerships between government, universities, businesses and farmers despite having limited land.
Singapore was also cited as an example of a country that built a food innovation ecosystem focused on food security, alternative proteins and urban agriculture, attracting investment in food technology.
"The lesson is consistent: countries that coordinate innovation ecosystems attract investment, accelerate technology adoption and build globally competitive food industries," Uwituze said.
How the Rwanda Food Innovation Partnership will work
RFIP will serve as the implementation vehicle for the Rwanda Food Innovation Ecosystem Strategy 2026-2035.
The partnership will operate as a public-private coordination platform that mobilises finance, knowledge and technology to help innovations move faster from development to commercialisation.
According to Uwituze, RFIP will perform six key functions: connecting innovators with investors, linking them with research and global expertise, supporting technology transfer, providing a single entry point for food innovators, feeding performance data back into policymaking and promoting Rwanda's food innovation agenda internationally.
The initiative will be rolled out in phases.
During the first phase (2026-2027), RFIP will operate as a secretariat of about 10 staff, supported by seconded personnel, and hosted within the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI).
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It will be overseen by an Intergovernmental Steering Committee comprising MINAGRI, the Ministry of ICT and Innovation, Rwanda Development Board and other relevant institutions.
From 2028, RFIP is expected to transition into an independent entity with its own legal personality, board of directors and sustainable financing model.
Strategy targets jobs, exports and improved nutrition
The Rwanda Food Innovation Ecosystem Strategy aims to position the country as Africa's leading proof-of-concept platform for food systems innovation by 2035.
The strategy is aligned with Vision 2050, the second National Strategy for Transformation (NST2) and the fifth Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA5).
Its objective is to reduce the time, cost and uncertainty innovators face by creating a coordinated pathway for regulation, testing, financing and skills development.
The strategy is built around three objectives: strengthening the business and regulatory environment, supporting private-sector growth and entrepreneurship, and improving applied research and human capital.
It focuses on four priority innovation areas: modern production technologies, protein diversification, value-chain strengthening, and nutrition, health and biotechnology innovation.
The government expects the initiative to contribute to existing targets, including reducing child stunting from the current 27 per cent to below 15 per cent by 2029, increasing agri-food export value beyond $650 million by 2035, and creating 30,000 youth jobs in the food innovation economy by 2035.
Who will implement RFIP?
Government leadership will be provided through the founding Intergovernmental Steering Committee, while a Technical Committee will coordinate implementation among ministries and agencies.
Existing institutions will retain their mandates but will work through RFIP's coordination framework.
These include the Rwanda Standards Board and Rwanda Food and Drugs Authority on regulation, Rwanda Agriculture Board on research and field trials, and Rwanda Development Board on investment facilitation and partnerships.
Beyond the government, RFIP will bring together private companies, development partners, researchers, universities and civil society organisations.
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How farmers, businesses and consumers will benefit
RFIP will introduce four accelerator programmes targeting different parts of the food value chain.
The Policy and Regulatory Accelerator will help innovators and businesses navigate regulatory processes more efficiently.
The Innovation Investment Accelerator will provide international companies with a structured pathway to test and introduce technologies in Rwanda.
The Venture and Small and Medium Enterprise Accelerator will support local innovators to move from prototypes to commercial products, including through access to financing opportunities.
The Human Capital Accelerator will focus on developing skills through technical and vocational training, research infrastructure and technology-transfer programmes.
For farmers and consumers, the government expects innovations supported through the system to improve productivity, reduce post-harvest losses, enhance dietary quality and create more dignified employment opportunities.
Rollout plans
Following Cabinet approval, RFIP's first phase is underway, with the secretariat being established at MINAGRI and partners being mobilised.
The strategy and partnership will be officially launched during the Africa Food Systems Forum 2026, scheduled for Kigali from September 1-4.
After the launch, RFIP plans engagement sessions with potential partners and will begin implementing its accelerator programmes in the fourth quarter of 2026.
