The Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), through its single project implementation unit of the World Bank and KOICA funded projects, has launched a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the Commercialization and De-risking for Agriculture Transformation Project (CDAT).
The campaign aimed to boost the visibility the project and encourage participation in its implementation activities. The campaign was rolled out across the country at the district level, with activities such as meetings with local authorities and farmers, and tours of CDAT intervention sites.
It attracted district local leaders, agribusiness investors, representatives from financial institutions, women and youth associations, farmers and the media.
During the meetings held as part of the CDAT campaign, the technical team of the project highlighted the importance of CDAT in transforming agriculture in the country. The team emphasized the key components of the project, which include agribusiness financing and matching grants, animal and crop insurance, land husbandry technologies, irrigation and mechanization as well as the youth innovation challenge fund among others. These components are intended to support and promote agricultural activities and provide necessary resources to farmers and entrepreneurs in the sector.
Throughout the campaign, CDAT project staff held meetings and workshops with local farmers, encouraging them to participate in the CDAT project. The project team also worked with local media to spread the message of CDAT, and organized events in several districts to inform the public about the project and its activities.
The campaign has been welcomed by many in the agricultural sector including district local authorities, farmers, agribusiness investors and women and youth associations, who are hopeful that the project will bring positive changes to their livelihoods.
The CDAT project is expected to continue over the coming years, and the awareness campaign is likely to be an important part of its success.
The government is confident that CDAT will help to transform the country’s agricultural sector and make it more competitive in the global market.
CDAT targets to increase the use of irrigation and commercialization among producers and agribusiness firms across the country. The project will also increase access to agriculture finance and insurance.
It will support the government provide services and create an enabling environment for the private actor throughout the agricultural value chain.
The project will also support commercialization by helping farmers access markets and availing matching grants for investments in mechanization, post-harvest infrastructure and processing equipment.
A CDAT youth innovation challenge fund has also been set aside for investment in particularly innovative solutions for the sector that can be brought to scale.
In partnership with financial institutions, the project will seek to enhance access to affordable financial services and products in the agricultural sector by providing long-term financing and reducing risks and challenges faced by agricultural value chains through strengthening market linkages and scaling up agriculture insurance.
The 5-year project will be implemented across all districts countrywide.
CDAT is funded by the World Bank Group via International Development Association (IDA) and is implemented by RAB and the Development Bank of Rwanda (BRD).