“

a project for the great lakes region of central africa

CATALIST Burundi • DR Congo • Rwanda

Catalyze Agricultural Intensification for Social and Environmental Stability

Overview: RWANDAFor the period 2006-2011

OVERVIEW REPORT

FOR THE PERIOD 2006-2011

COUNTRY: RWANDA

Overview of the Activities of the CATALIST Project in Rwanda

By

P.O. Box 2040, Muscle Shoals

Alabama 35662 USA | www.ifdc.org

Kigali, Rwanda | June 2011

Table of Contents Preface ................................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................2

Project Objectives...............................................................................................................................................2

Geographical Intervention Areas........................................................................................................................2

Intervention Strategies........................................................................................................................................4

Key Achievements..............................................................................................................................................6

1. Agricultural Intensification Promotion in Rwanda ..........................................................................6

3. Value Chain Promotion and Agriculture Markets Development ...................................................21

4. Agricultural Inputs Market Development ......................................................................................27

5. Capacity Building ..........................................................................................................................34

6. Communication..............................................................................................................................40

7. More Conducive National and Sub-Regional Policies...................................................................42

Conclusions ......................................................................................................................................................46

Constraints and lessons learned..............................................................................................................47

Perspectives............................................................................................................................................47

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Preface The IFDC – An International Center for Soil Fertility and Agricultural Development – received funds to help improve social and environmental stability in Central Africa’s Great Lakes Region (CAGLR) through accelerated agriculture intensification.

IFDC was convinced that environment could not be protected as long as there is no agricultural intensification. This point of view was taken because in the CAGLR region, the pressure on natural resources is simply too high. Food security cannot happen if the vast majority of the population is rural and it must feed 5-6 people on medium-sized family plots of 0.7 hectare. It cannot prevent erosion and protect non-cultivated areas when the population density is increasing, and ancestral agricultural practices remain dominant. The heart of Central Africa’s Great Lakes Region – the target of CATALIST – is particular. Demographic pressure is the highest in sub-Saharan Africa and the use of fertilizers is the lowest in the world. The average use of fertilizers in the region is 4 kg/ha/year whereas it is averaged 110 kg/ha/year elsewhere in the world. This, combined to an extremely steep terrain, clearly explains why the soil nutrient balance in the region is the most negative in the world. Indeed, almost 100 kg of nutrients are lost annually per ha of farm land. Consequently, among external agricultural inputs which are requisite for agricultural intensification, fertilizers are ‘’primus interpares’’.

Moreover, intensification has the same importance everywhere; ways that lead to it are quite different for the three countries covered by the project (Burundi, North and South Kivu in the Congo DRC and Rwanda). The three countries have however in common the belief that the change in agriculture will primarily depend on farmers. Environmental conditions are first and foremost: the physical, socio-economic and political environment. If one thing is already clear, it is that farmers are ready for change wherever conditions are conducive to change.

Through an intensive Government policy, the intensification process is already a reality in Rwanda. Agro-inputs availability, access and its use is gradually improving; the conditions for investment are such that the processing of agricultural products could quickly grow. CATALIST works closely with the MINAGRI and supports farmers, their organizations as well as the private sector. CATALIST does not seek to do the work of developing the agricultural sector by itself. It rather seeks to support those who are doing so and those who are seeking support. If the scarcity of means should require that a choice is made, that main criterion is what we call ‘’the fertile triangle’’, i.e. the essential collaboration between producers, traders and private companies and the public sector. This collaboration should be balanced to maximize success.

2

Introduction The Catalyze Accelerated Agricultural Intensification for Social and Environmental Stability project (CATALIST) is a five-year regional project financed by the Dutch Government and implemented in Central Africa’s Great Lakes Region (CAGLR) by the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC), Helpage and other partners. The project began in October 2006 and is scheduled to end in September 2011.

The project is based on the premise that peace in the region can be improved by increased income, economic growth and market opportunity. Likewise, economic growth and market opportunity are dependent on adoption of agricultural intensification technologies that promote increased productivity and maintain or improve the natural resource base. Therefore, since its start, CATALIST has triggered acceleration of the agricultural intensification process.

Project Objectives CATALIST project activities are centered on three Project Strategic Objectives (PSO):

1. PSO1: Intensification of Agricultural Production Sustained: adoption of new technologies, increasing access to and use of external inputs (fertilizers, improved seeds and crop protection products), implementing HIMO-financed reforestation efforts and promoting ISFM

2. PSO 2: Better functioning of business clusters and value chains

3. PSO 3: More conducive social-economic and political conditions

Geographical Intervention Areas With the introduction of different value chain clusters, small grants and training of agro-input dealers to develop the agricultural sector, the CATALIST project covers all provinces of Rwanda, Burundi and key parts of the North and South Kivu provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

3

Map 1: CATALIST interventions zones in the CAGLR

Source: CATALIST Inception Report. Volume 1.

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Intervention Strategies

1. Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM)

Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM) is the key to increasing agricultural productivity while protecting the environment and maintaining (or even enhancing) the soil resource base. ISFM strategies center on the combined use of mineral fertilizers and locally available organic amendments (crop residues, compost and green manure) to replenish lost soil nutrients. This improves both soil quality and the efficiency of fertilizers and other agricultural inputs (seeds, crop protection products and water). In addition, ISFM promotes improved crop management practices, measures to control erosion and leaching and techniques to improve soil organic matter maintenance.

CATALIST promotes ISFM through participatory learning activities with farmers. Farmers are trained in the efficient use of inorganic fertilizers in combination with soil amendments, better agricultural practices through the establishment of demonstration plots and participatory tests. Farmers grouped in a team of 200 are centered on a demonstration plot where the application of inorganic fertilizers in combination of soil amendments and better agricultural practices are shown and explained. Around the same demonstration plot, farmers assisted by an agronomist are invited to participate in at least four farmers’ field days where they learn throughout the growing period of the crop about methods to improve production and soil fertility through the combination of the previously mentioned technologies and better agricultural practices.

2. Implementation of environmental management activities

This component of the CATALIST project has been implemented by Helpage and concerns two main activities conducted through the HIMO approach:

• Rehabilitation of rural roads, especially those with potential to improve agriculture by enabling better access to markets and the development of commercial exchanges while at the same time reducing transportation costs. This approach consists of the use of highly intensive labor by unemployed or underemployed local residents. The HIMO approach accomplishes the project activities while enabling those employed to increase their incomes. The non-agricultural employment opportunities created are focused on landless and vulnerable people (widows, orphans, elderly people and demobilized soldiers).

• Soil conservation and watershed protection through reforestation and agro-forestry on sites where agricultural value chains are promoted and developed in collaboration of proximity operators.

3. Input market development

CATALIST developed an approach to advocate and lobby the Government on methods of subsidizing or decreasing taxes on agricultural input imports in combination with trainings and capacity building interventions intended to strengthen and professionalize distributors and agro–dealers. These activities are an attempt to alleviate structural and individual weaknesses which prevent them from entering the agricultural input business (or from expanding existing businesses).

4. Output market development

CATALIST introduced the Competitive Agricultural Systems and Enterprises (CASE) approach as a complement to ISFM in order to prevent issues that may arise if the promotion of ISFM is carried out singly.

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With the introduction of ISFM, expected results are an impressive increase in agricultural production. However, without proper post-harvest and marketing activities, increased production may have a negative impact on the farmers who adopt ISFM. In this regard, CASE is a means of facilitating better access to markets for farmers while establishing linkages between the main actors of the value chain (farmers, agro-dealers, processors, local entrepreneurs and micro-finance institutions). CATALIST has encouraged all the value chain actors to work together in order to enable them to grow their businesses and to handle any constraints they may face.

5. Capacity building and training

Capacity building and training is also an approach chosen by CATALIST and used to ensure knowledge transfer, abilities and skills acquisition. There are numerous capacity building and training activities and range from training sensu stricto to study tours, workshops, seminars, peer-to-peer visits and coaching. The achievement of CATALIST objectives required skills and knowledge that could not be covered through direct involvement of CATALIST alone. CATALIST therefore utilized three approaches in developing the capacity of beneficiaries and stakeholders: (i) training of trainers; (ii) outsourcing training activities to services providers; and (iii) out-scaling training operations to partners’ institutions.

6. Partnerships

Partners Burundi DRC Rwanda

Helpage Helpage-Burundi

Helpage-DRC Helpage-Rwanda

Proximity Operators (PO)/Value chains facilitators = NGOs and Farmers Organizations

17 4 23

Inputs dealers trainers facilitators 5 4 6

Small grants partners 11 11 6

Private sector 4 4 5

Research and international institutions 3 3 3

Governmental and international organizations 5 4 12

Regional collaborators 28

6

Key Achievements

1. Agricultural Intensification Promotion in Rwanda

Introduction The primary goals of CATALIST’s agronomic activities have been the demonstration and promotion of more productive, more remunerative and more sustainable production systems. Fertilizer use as part of integrated soil fertility management (ISFM) packages has been chosen as the basis for this work; participatory trials have been chosen as the approach.

This chapter presents the results that have been obtained. IFDC’s approach to ISFM focuses on inorganic fertilizers as a source of nutrients for crops (our 9 guides as reference). Soil amendments are used for improving and maintaining soil quality, assuring that fertilizer use is efficient and that environmental risks are limited and controlled. The main focus will be on the results of participatory tests and demonstrations in which inorganic fertilizers have been combined with the use of organic matter. The latter is primarily manure or recycled crop by-products such as straw. Key results for some crops will be presented and interpreted, before presenting the main conclusions for the crops that have received attention. These conclusions concern the ISFM packages to be recommended for further promotion, validation and research, in view of the observed efficiency of fertilizer use and the value:cost ratio to which they lead.

Beside organic matter, lime is an important amendment in parts of the country with very low soil pH. Results of tests and demonstrations, aiming to improve fertilizer use efficiency and economics, will be presented separately. This is also the case for a limited number of trials with slow N-release fertilizers, which are useful for very mobile N-nutrients. The use of urea supergranules has led to higher fertilizer use efficiency. Finally, the first results obtained by using trees as an alternative to manure as a source of organic matter are presented.

These women, involved in agricultural intensification, are harvesting wheat in Cyumba/Gicumbi.

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Participatory trials: inorganic fertilizers with organic soil amendments Beginning in agricultural season 2008A, CATALIST outsourced local proximity service providers (OdP1) to carry out participatory agricultural intensification operations with farmers in 7 districts2 for validating, improving and promoting ISFM. To this end, ISFM technology packages were tested in a participatory way in different agro-ecological zones, including: (i) a so-called “general formula,” the best possible in view of the knowledge of the moment; (ii) “comparative tests” showing the cumulative effect of 1, 2 and 3 nutrients; and (iii) a “liming test,” using two approaches. Two years later, crop intensification demonstration plots were added in the context of value chain development facilitation. The latter were derived from the first results of the participatory tests, using decreased costs and risks as criteria. All these different fertilizer formulas, combined with organic matter and/or lime, were tested against Farmers Practices (FP), and yield results were compared to screen the best formula to be promoted among CATALIST beneficiaries.

Results records include yield (kg/ha) for both FP plots and CATALIST plots which received different levels of ISFM technology. Additionally, when and where possible, the Agronomic Effectiveness (AE) was calculated, for the N component of fertilizers, nitrogen being in general the most limiting factor. The AE of P2O5 was used for leguminous crops, which are not bothered by nitrogen deficiency. The AE of K2O was used for roots and tubers in case N did not appear being the most deficient nutrient. The AE, expressed in kg of outputs per kg of an applied nutrient, indicates how effective the nutrient is used by crop under given conditions. Using standard values, it helps to decide if indeed a given nutrient is limiting crop production, or if another nutrient or factor is limiting, in which case the formula or its use has to be adapted. In case of acceptable formulae in view of yield increase and AE, the profitability of fertilizer use was calculated, using the Value Cost Ratio (VCR). The VCR indicates the ratio between the value of additional output due to the use of fertilizer, and the cost of that fertilizer. If VCR>3, the use of fertilizer is considered to be profitable enough for promotion among and adoption by farmers.

1 OdP = Opérateurs de Proximité = NGOs, Farmers’ Organizations, Private Companies providing extension services to farmers in rural settings. 2 Bugesera, Nyagatare, Nyamagabe, Rusizi, Gicumbi, Musanze, Rubavu.

Maize plot in Bugarama marshland.

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Irish Potato

Potato trials in Rubavu.

Potato trials in Nyabihu.

Field of potato trials in Musanze.

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Testimony: Mr NIKUZE, potato producer of Rubavu

Before CATALIST started, its interventions I used to produce 700 kg of potato on my plot of 10 ares but no longer do I. With CATALIST’s technologies of production I have got 2.5 MT of potato on the same plot. From the income I got, I bought a cow of improved breed and a mobile.

From 2008A to 2011A seasons, in HTL3, HTB4 and HTBU5 agro-ecological zones, CATALIST tested different ISFM-based formulae with farmers and demonstrated their effects. Potato trials were conducted in: (i) the Musanze-Nyabihu districts (HTL); (ii) the Gicumbi district (HTB); and (iii) in the Nyamagabe district (HTBU). CATALIST trials are shown in Table 1 while yield results are presented in Figure 1 which compares ISFM technology to FP in all three AEZ.

Table 1. Potato ISFM trials (2008-2011)

AEZ Treatment Nutrient content Comment

HTL/Musanze-Nyabihu-Rubavu

300kg NPK 17-17-17 and 100kg Urea (46%)

97-51-51 Use of 5 mt/ha of organic manure, crop rotation, use of improved seeds

HTB /Gicumbi 300kg NPK 17-17-17 + 100kg Urea (46%)

97-51-51 Use of 5 mt/ha of organic manure, crop rotation, use of improved seeds

HTBU/Nyamagabe 250kg NPK 17-17-17 +100kg Urea (46%)

88.5-42.5-42.5 Use of 5 mt/ha of organic manure, crop rotation, use of improved seeds and 2500-3000kg of lime after 4 seasons*

Yield results show that ISFM 97-51-51 proved to be the most effective compared to farmers’ practices technologies (FP) and ISFM 88.5-42.5-42.5 as shown in figure 1, which presents besides the average yields (Av. Yield) also the average maximum yields (Av. Yield), those of the best farmers. In all three agro-ecological zones (AEZ), the FP potato yield was far the lowest of the three approaches, the ISFM packages leading to an almost 2.5 times higher yield.

3 HTL = Hautes Terres des Laves 4 HTB = Hautes Terres du Budaha-Ndiza-Buberuka 5 HTBU = Hautes Terres du Bufundu-Bushiru

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Figure 1. Irish Potatoes yield trend (kg/ha) under ISFM 97-51-51 vs. FP technologies (2008-2011)

HTL = Hautes Terres des Laves FP = Farmers’ Practices HTBU = Hautes Terres du Bufundu-Bushiru ISFM = Integrated Soil Fertility Management HTB = Hautes Terres du Budaha-Ndiza-Buberuka

The highest yield of Irish potatoes was 44,000 kg/ha and achieved in HTL. The average yield achieved for Irish potatoes by using ISFM was 22,354 kg/ha in HTL, 19,262 kg/ha in HTB and 17,000 kg/ha in HTBU while the national average yield for Irish potatoes is 10,500 kg/ha (RADA, MINAGRI 2011).

Table 2. A comparison of the agronomic efficiency of N-use and the VCR for different formulas, those of CATALIST ISFM packages

AEZ Treatment Nutrient Formula AE/N VCR

HTB CAT/2008-2011 97-51-51 97 – 215 5 – 13

HTBU CAT/2008-2011 88,5-42,5-42,5 88 – 195 5 – 9

HTL CAT/2008-2011 97-51-51 110 - 287 6 – 17

AEZ = Agro-Ecological Zone VCR:Value Cost Ratio CAT/2008-2011 = CATALIST Trials 2008-2011 AE/N: Agronomic efficiency for N

VCR values indicate the financial interest of adopting the use of fertilizers. A VCR >3 indicates that the speculation is profitable for farmers.

Agronomic Efficiency (AE) values show the additional yield in kg of grains, tubers, etc. obtained due to the nutrients contained in applied fertilizers (Kg/kg).

Table 3. AE interpretation chart

Agronomic Efficiency in Kg/kg Nutrients Crops

Low Reasonable Very Good

N Cereals ≤10 15 ≥25

P Leguminous ≤40 60 ≥100

K Tubers (potato) ≤40 60 ≥100

N Tubers(potato) ≤70 100 ≥150

NB: Many fertilizers doses tested by Irish potato crop value chains in HTL in Nyabihu and Rubavu districts, the fertilizer formula 97-51-51 performed and should be recommended to farmers growing Irish potatoes.

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Maize

Maize yield trials were conducted in: (i) the HTL; (ii) HTB; and (iii) HTBU zones (as were yield trials of potatoes), but also in the zones (iv) PLATEAU DE L’EST (PE) in the Bugesera and Nyagatare districts; and (v) IMPALA SUR BASALTE (IMP) in the Rusizi district. CATALIST ISFM technologies were compared to FP as far as maize production is concerned, comparing ISFM technology to FP in only three of the five AEZ. In two of the cases, hybrid maize was used (HTL & PE), in the third case (IMP) the improved variety “Pool 9 A” was used.

Table 4. Maize CATALIST Trials

AEZ Treatment Nutrient Comment

HTL 100kg DAP + 50 kg Urea (46%) 41-46-0 5 mt of organic matter, crop residue recycling, use of improved seeds

PE 100 kg DAP +50 kg Urea (46%) 41-46-0 5 mt of organic matter, crop residue recycling, use of improved seeds

IMP 100kg DAP +50kg Urea (46%) 41-46-0 5 mt of organic matter, crop residue recycling, use of improved seeds

Figure 2 illustrates yield output for both FP and ISFM 41-46-0 in the three AEZ, HTL, PE and IMP. In general, FP will be characterized by broadcasting of local seed, non- respect of crop calendars, non-use of inorganic fertilizer, irregular weeding, some use of organic manure, etc. Good farmers who adopted the ISFM package obtained hybrid maize yields of almost 7 mt/ha in the HTL zone, more than 5.5 mt/ha in PE and 4.8 mt/ha in IMP. The high yields in HTL and PE are explained primarily by the use of hybrid maize; the difference between HTL and PE is explained by the higher natural soil fertility in HTL (volcanic soils) and higher rainfall. The variety that has been used in IMP shows lower productivity than the hybrid maize.

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Figure 2. Maize yield (kg/ha) under FP vs. ISFM 41-46-0

Over the course of these last seasons, the hybrid maize tested achieved a yield worth of 6.8 mt/ha in HTL (Musanze and Nyabihu district), 5.5 mt/ha in PE agro-ecological zone (Nygatare and Bugesera districts) while the variety Pool 9 A achieved a yield of 4.7 mt/ha.

Table 5. Maize AE/N and VCR under ISFM-41-46-0

AEZ Treatment Nutrient Formula AE-N1) VCR HTL CAT/2008-‘11 41-46-0/hybrid 29 - 66 9 IMP CAT/2008-2011 41-46-0 24 – 45 6 PE CAT/2008-‘11 41-46-0/hybrid 32 - 49 4

In case of two values, the first one is the AE related to average yield increases; the second is of best farmers per site.

Testimony: Mr MUGWANEZA, maize producer of Nyagatare

I own a 1-ha plot. I used to produce 2 MT of maize. After using ISFM technologies promoted by IFDC/CATALIST, I produce 4.5 MT of maize. Recently, I decided to produce for the market and I have become a professional farmer!

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Wheat

Wheat field of Nyamagabe

Wheat trials were only conducted in wet highlands: (i) Hautes Terres des Laves (HTL); (ii) Hautes Terres du Buberuka; and (iii) Hautes Terres du Bufundu-Bushiru. CATALIST ISFM technologies were compared to FP as far as wheat production is concerned.

Figure 3. Wheat yield trend under ISFM vs. FP (2008-2011).

Figure 5 gives an impression regarding the yield levels. The ISFM packages lead to yields about 2 mt/ha above the levels of present dominant farmers’ practices. Find explanation below:

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Table 6. Wheat AE/N and VCR under ISFM

AEZ Treatment Nutrient Formula AE-N VCR

HTL 100 kg of DAP + 50 kg of Urea 46% 41-46-0 55 7

HTB 100 kg of DAP + 100 kg of Urea 46% 64-46-0 31 7

HTB 230 kg of DAP +100 kg of urea 46% 88.5-39.1-39.1 28 5

HTBU 100 kg of DAP + 50 kg of Urea 46% 41-46-0 49 7

The wheat crop is profitable only when the production is sold at an interesting price.

Farmers should be advised to grow wheat in the agro-ecological zone of Hautes Terres des Laves and Hautes Terres du Bufundu and Bushiru by using fertilizer formula 41-46-0 in combination with ISFM technology. In Nyamagabe district the wheat crop can be grown after Irish potatoes in order to benefit from the liming arrear effect.

In Gicumbi district, the yield response was more interesting for NPK formula 85.1-39.1-39.1 than for 64-46-0; however farmers can use N-P formula (DAP and Urea 46%) as it is more profitable for farmers compared with the N-P-K formula. Farmers should recycle crop residues in the fertilized field, respect crop rotation and use improved seeds. In the long-term, the formula N-P-K should be applied to avoid nutrients imbalance for K and other nutrients.

Testimony: Miss MUKARUKATSA, wheat producer of Rurembo

Before CATALIST, I harvested 7 kilos of wheat on my 5-are plot. With new farming practices such as line sowing, the use of organic manure combined to mineral fertilizers, I learnt thanks to the Project, I harvest 171 kilos on the same plot.

I made enough money to take care of primary needs including buying clothes, soap and petrol for my family. In addition, I was able to pay school fees for the kids.

Other ISFM packages The ISFM approach ensures that inorganic fertilizer use will be efficient. Concurrently, losses to the environment will be relatively low, decreasing the environmental risks that accompany fertilizer use. Organic soil amendments help to improve and maintain the soil organic matter content, a key asset for soils’ capacity to absorb and to store water (for nutrient storage in the root zone and to buffer the soil against pH changes). Inorganic fertilizers and the use of leguminous crops help increase the nutrient content of soil organic matter, another prerequisite for fertilizer use efficiency.

While soil amendments influence fertilizer use efficiency, farmer practices are as important, while the industry is making efforts to adapt fertilizer properties to obtain higher efficiencies. I In particular this concerns N-fertilizer. N is lost easily because of its mobility (one of the reasons for the development of slow release fertilizer). Some have been tested (par. 3.3).

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Agroforestry trials

Farmer Practice: T 0-0-0 T 18-46-0

The CATALIST project started to demonstrate the benefit of agro-forestry trees in crop intensification from 2010A. Preliminary results on both crop yield and diameter at breast height (in cm) for agro- forestry trees are shown below.

Table 7. Crop yield results in agro-forestry sites

Season Crop Treatment Yield in kg/ha EA P2O5

T 18-46-0 + Trees 1257 14

T 18-46-0 without trees 809 7

T0-0-0 + Trees 615 2010 B Bean crop

T0-0-0 without trees 474

EA N

T0 0-0-0 without trees 1000

T0 0-0-0 + Trees 3007 2011 A Maize

T1 41-46-0 + Trees 4700 41

This difference in yields shows that with this system, trees benefit from crops and crops benefit from trees. There is no competition between trees and crops. Forest products are expected to be greater in short times. By planting crops under trees, we combine improved yields of crops and trees when we use the fertilizer.

Liming amendments/Acidity testing Acidity tests were carried out to improve soil pH while addressing aluminum toxicity. To this end, lime and calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN) were used to determine and compare their respective effectiveness in increasing soil pH while decreasing aluminum soil content, and finally in increasing yield and AE.

In collaboration with local partners, CATALIST conducted acidity tests in 3 different agro-ecological zones in Nyamagabe, Gicumbi and Nyabihu districts on targeted crops such as Irish potatoes, wheat and maize crops using four treatments: Control (T 0: 0-0-0: Check); Treatment 1 (N-P-K + Urea); Treatment 2 (N-P-K +Urea + Lime); and Treatment 3 (N-P-K + CAN 27%). Find below the results on crop yield response:

ISFM Plot

F Practice Plot

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Figure 4. Average yield response for Irish potatoes, wheat and maize

The results in Nyamagabe and Nyabihu districts revealed the performance of fertilizer + lime in terms of average yield response while fertilizer + CAN performed in Nyabihu.

Therefore, lime should be used in Nyamagabe and Gicumbi for increasing productivity. However, the problems of transport and lime quality should be addressed at the national level by RADA-MINAGRI and ISAR and other stakeholders.

UDP Demonstration The objective of the urea deep placement (UDP) demonstration is to increase the rice yield and the profitability of the rice producers with using efficiently the urea nitrogen. The results of UDP technology show the performance of urea supergranule (USG) on yield, agronomic efficiency of nitrogen and the ration value cost. The average of those results in the two last seasons is 10 percent on yield, 59 percent on EA/N and 50 percent on the RVC of the fertilizers applied. The UDP technology is progressively understood by the rice producers in respecting two important practices – water irrigation and field maintenance work. Up to now the evolution of the UDP technology adoption from the demonstration plots increases from 29 ares to 3ha in the third demonstration season, and the producers spread and expanded the UDP technology on 10 ha in Rusizi marshlands and from 11ares of demonstrations to 7.5 ha adopted after one season in Bugesera rice marshland. The table and the figures below explain the advantages of UDP.

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UDP demonstration plot in Rwamagana

Figure 5. Results of UDP technology tests in Bugarama, Rusizi District in part of the Rusizi plain

The results achieved in those two successive seasons show the high results comparatively to the check and farmer usual practice. The AE-N and VCR is high in the UDP compared to the farmer practice and increase respectively 54.5 percent and 50 percent. The cost of production calculated by the producers who had demonstrations plots is 157 RwF, 141RwF and 108 RwF per kilo respectively in Check, Farmer Practice and UDP.

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ISFM in the struggle against drought

An ISFM benefit that cannot be stressed enough is its contribution to the struggle against drought. The application of fertilizer in a context of ISFM leads to higher yields and higher drought resistance. ISFM’s effect can be reinforced by the use of good agricultural practices (such as sowing as soon as possible, and sowing in rows, enabling weeding with a hoe and loosening of the soil surface). All three practices lead to higher water availability for the crop, an important advantage in relatively dry regions.

A decision support tree was developed as a tool that helps identify which interventions are the most urgent helping to improve water infiltration, absorption and storage (soil organic matter increase), and/or helping to improve root system development through pH correction or fertilization.

Agro-Forestry Planting/Helpage Component The agro-forestry component within CATALIST began in 2009 and was carried out by HELPAGE, an IFDC sub-contractor. The criteria used for selecting agro-forestry sites in Rwanda include zones where IFDC is implementing agricultural intensification activities and preference of the community and beneficiaries.

In collaboration with local decentralized authorities, IFDC's proximity operators and beneficiaries, the project finalized the agro-forestry component using HIMO work force.

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Calliandra Grevillea

Leucaena Alnus

For now, nurseries have been established in five sites: Gicumbi, Nyamagabe, Rusizi, Musanze and Nyabihu. More than three million seedlings have been produced and planted as shown in the table below:

Table 8. Results of establishing nurseries for seedling production

Items Unit Planned Achieved

Total area Ha 1,300 1,605

Number of seedlings produced and planted Plant 2,948,000 3,242,000

Male 3,783 Total personnel recruited

Female 4,144

Working days/jobs created WD (H/J) 125,739

Total amount injected in rural areas Euros 150,670

The details of total areas planted and the number of trees planted by districts and sites are shown in the figures below.

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Figure 6. The total numbers of agro-forestry trees planted

Figure 7. The total area planted (in Ha)

In terms of wages paid for agro-forestry activities, a total of 119,610,538 Rwf (150,670 Euros) was injected in rural areas through the agro-forestry component as shown in the table below:

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Peas production in Rulindo Sector.

Table 9. Wages paid for agro-forestry activities, by semester

Semesters 4 5 6 7 8 9 Items

April-Sept 2008

Oct 2008- March 2009

April-Sept 2009

Oct 2009- March 2010

April-Sept2010

Oct 2010- March 2011

Total

Male 478 663 461 528 726 927 3,783Female 493 740 575 552 702 1,082 4,144Tot 971 1,403 1,036 1,080 1,428 2,009 7,927Jobs created/ Working Days

21,909 17,380 27,762 17,236 19,996 21,456 125,739

Total amount (Rwf) 21,823,202 14,228,441 33,579,390 14,833,650 13,834,225 21,311,630 119,610,538Euros 27,227.95 18,033.28 42,210.62 18,864.89 18,038.45 26,294.42 150,669.61Rwf injected in rural areas

801.5 789.01 795.52 786.31 766.93 810.5

3. Value Chain Promotion and Agriculture Markets Development

Value chain promotion CATALIST started initiating and promoting value chains in 2007. Prior to this period, clusters in agriculture sector in order to develop potential value chains were not popular. CATALIST started by organizing a series of training and workshops on IFDC’s Competitive Agricultural Systems and Enterprises (CASE) approach for its staff and partners, an approach that have been successfully introduced in other IFDC intervention countries. In 2008, a strategy on how to promote and develop agribusiness clusters and value chain using CASE in CATALIST areas of intervention was finalized and adopted.

On the ground, operations were subcontracted to local NGOs, farmers’ organizations and private consulting firms. These service-providers operate simultaneously with all value chain stakeholders as shown on the map below.

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Table 10. PEAs facilitated by CATALIST No. PEA Districts CATALIST Partners

1 Manioc Ruhango SYNDICAT -INGABO 2 Manioc/Maize Kamonyi IBAKWE-RIC 3 Wheat/Potato/Peas Gicumbi CARITAS-RWANDA 4 Wheat/Peas Rulindo CARITAS-RWANDA 5 Wheat/Potato/Maize Nyamagabe UNICOOPAGI 6 Potato/Wheat/Beans Musanze IMBARAGA 7 Potato/Maize Nyabihu BAIR 8 Potato/Maize Rubavu BAIR 9 Maize/Beans Nyagatare RDO

10 Maize/Pineapple/Beans Bugesera CARITAS-RWANDA 11 Maize/Rice Ruhango UGAMA-CSC 12 Maize Nyabihu Maizerie Mukamira 13 Maize/Rice Rusizi ARDI 14 Maize/Soybeans Gisagara ARDI 15 Maize/Soybeans Huye ARDI 16 Maize/Soybeans Muhanga DUHAMIC-ADRI 17 Maize/Beans Muhanga IABM 18 Rice Bugesera FUCORIRWA 19 Rice Gisagara FUCORIRWA 20 Rice Kirehe FUCORIRWA 21 Soybeans Ruhango ABAHUJE 22 Peas/Passion Fruit Rulindo RUSIGA SECTOR 23 Tomato Kamonyi CODEPRAG 24 Tomato Ngoma KOPANYARU 25 Soybeans/Passion Fruit Muhanga PANDAMU

Cassava field in Kamonyi District.

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Figure 8. Map of CATALIST value chain partners

Different kind of vegetables produced by CODEPRAG members in Kamonyi District.

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Facilitation of linkages among value chain actors

Collection and sale of potato in Gicumbi District, July 2008

In 2008, four value chain clusters were launched and later in 2009, 23 new agriculture value chains were identified and facilitated since season 2010A. So far, CATALIST has facilitated 30 Agricultural Business Clusters (ABC) distributed in 19 districts and centered on nine crops6 involving 102,964 farmers connected to 359 groups of stakeholders comprising 130 cooperatives, 120 agro-input dealers, 85 output dealers and 18 processing units (Figure 9 and Table 11).

6 Pineapple, Maracuja, Legumes, Wheat, Maize, Rice, Soybean, Irish Potatoes and Cassava.

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Figure 9. Agricultural Business Clusters (ABC) and Farmers Organizations trend (2008-2010)

Table 11. Cumulative number of value chains stakeholders (2008-2010)

Year Number of

ABCs

Number of Farmer

Organizations

Number of

Farmers

Number of Agro- input

dealers

Number of Output Traders

Number of Processors

Number of Stakeholder

Groups

2008 4 27 713 16 19 4 66

2009 23 125 53 726 45 23 18 211

2010 30 136 102 964 120 85 18 359

Figure 10. Agribusiness clusters (ABC) and stakeholders increase (2008-2010)

ABC = Agricultural Business Clusters, FOs = Farmers Organizations

During the 2010, entrepreneurs have sold 4975.5 metric tons (mt) of fertilizers meaning that farmers involved in value chains have increased the use of fertilizers from 2 kg/ha/year in 2008 to 19 kg/ha/year.

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Table 12. Case study: Maize AB Cluster of Huye

Cluster situation before September 2009 Cluster situation in March 2011

Market of farm produce and price not known before farming (95% of produce was sold on different local markets)

Today market is known before producing. There are two farming contracts that include the price. In fact, soybeans and maize are produced as seeds and are sold to RADA and the rest is sold to Karubanda maize mill as maize of consumption.

Less income and profitability: 120 Rwf/kg ; the production cost being 98 Rwf/kg

Increase of income and profitability for maize: 400 Rwf/kg; production cost reduced up to 76 Rwf/kg.

Little negotiation capacity because there is lack of farmers’ organization; everyone working individually.

Negotiation capacity strengthened at farmers’ level being in Cooperatives

Low access to finance 1,200 farmers have account in SACCO or MFI, and some of them accessed to credit. Most of them are members ofthree cooperatives which received credit of 10,000,000Rwf during 2009 from Vision Finance Company and 10,750,000 Rwf for 2010.

No close collaboration among stakeholders Stakeholders know each other and are sharing information regularly closely. Thus, agro-dealers sold 36.3 mt of fertilizers and 5.3 mt of seeds to three cooperatives. At harvest, 50 mt of maize have been sold to Maize mill of Karubanda.

No storage facilities Two stores rehabilitated.

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4. Agricultural Inputs Market Development As far as the agricultural inputs market development is concerned, effort has been made to facilitate the professionalization of agro-dealers and to provide support to MINAGRI regarding voucher systems and auctions.

Agro-dealers professionalization More than 432 agro-dealers have been trained, including 108 women (either 25%) throughout 2009. Trainings pursued two major objectives: i) Product knowledge and ii) Business management.

Testimony: Mr NSEKERABANZI of Kinigi

“Because of the training some agro-dealers reduced losses due to poor storage by 90 percent, increased sales on average by 200 percent for fertilizers, 135 percent for seeds and 85 percent for pesticides within three months following the trainings,” states Gabriel NSEKERABANZI of Kinigi. “My sales have never been greater than one million Rwf but now my sales are 50 million Rwf because of agribusiness and storage techniques I learned during IFDC trainings.”

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Gabriel behind the sales desk in his inputs shop.

Technical support to MINAGRI’s voucher and auction systems With IFDC technical support, the MINAGRI’s Crop Intensification Program (CIP) introduced the fertilizer auction and voucher systems in 2009. The two systems applied subsidies in a bid to develop an input market through increased input use and demand in such a way that users and distributors receive financial benefits. CIP has initiated the distribution of subsidized fertilizers through private sector distribution and dealers’ networks.

In Season 2009 A and Season 2009 B, 29,261 vouchers (equivalent to almost 4,500 mt of fertilizers) were distributed to about 87,000 wheat and maize growers, out of 100,000 targeted, which represents a positive achievement in terms of outreach (87 percent). Besides, the voucher system offered opportunities to farmers to be linked to the financial institutions (10), which increased their portfolio and to private sector investors and farmers’ cooperatives to start development of a fertilizer market in rural areas.

At the end of the first season using these new approaches, results were as follows:

1. Area covered by fertilizers and improved seeds: From September 2007 to 2008 A: 39,208 ha. Season 2009 A : 63,000 ha compared to 890,000 ha of total cultivated land.

2. Proximity extension services: 10 private service providers 3. Fertilizer and seed subsidy through voucher system (18,000 vouchers used)

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4. Inputs financing: 4 percent from MFIs, 58 percent from private dealers and 38 percent from farmers (only with crops covered by voucher system).

5. Fertilizers purchased: NPK 17-17-17: 8,230 mt ; DAP: 3,000 mt; Urea: 3,197 mt ; Total: 14,427 mt. 6. Increase of production for season 2009 A Production (in MT) if compared to the two previous A

seasons.

Table 13. Voucher system results, Season A 2007-2009

Crops 2007 A 2008 A 2009 A

Maize 26,282 132,990 216,604

Wheat 10,248 37,908 38,314

Cassava 326,879 687,949 817,837

Irish potato 525,797 572,854 687,978

Rice 35,193 48,053 48,353

Beans 163,446 181,228 186,876

Banana 1,466,864 1,308,472 1,650,874

Source: CIP report, 2009

Based on the lessons learned during the process, IFDC supported MINAGRI in improving the system by using a bar-coded voucher system.

Thus, in June 2010 – with the arrival of the equipment (105 scanners, 25 portable and 25 industrial printers, software, hardware and other small supplies) – began the practical phase of the implementation of the bar-coded voucher system for distributing subsidized fertilizers for the corn and wheat crops.

The commitment to work differently by adopting subsidies through voucher and auction systems has led to a significant increase in fertilizer imports, as shown in Figure 11:

Figure 11. Increases in fertilizer inputs consequent to voucher and auction systems

Source: CIP evaluation report, 2010.

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As shown on the curve of fertilizer imports from 1969 up to now, fertilizer imports increases started in 2005; which demonstrates the Government of Rwanda’s (GOR) and IFDC’s combined efforts in agriculture intensification programs.

Prior to the CATALIST project, fertilizers were used on almost exclusively on exports crops such as tea and coffee. This increase in fertilizer imports also indicates that farmers are more convinced about the benefits of fertilizer use and on the increasing use of fertilizers on other crops such as maize, wheat, Irish potatoes, cassava, soya beans, beans and rice, in addition to historical export crops.

Given these successful actions to involve the private sector in agriculture input development over the years; the MINAGRI approved two new IFDC projects – Rwanda Agro-Dealer Development project (RADD) funded by the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) that is increasing the capacity of agro-dealers and Privatization of Rwanda’s Fertilizer Import and Distribution System (PReFER) funded by USAID that aims to build the capacity of fertilizers importers. These two projects were a clear result of actions initiated by the CATALIST project.

During the first semester of 2011, CATALIST input market development activities were largely transferred to RADD, PReFER and COMRAP projects. By the end of 2011, 800 dealers and 250 agents will have been trained. Below is a map of agro-dealers from the database created by CATALIST and RADD. One feature of interest is that 90 percent of farmers are less than 10 kilometers (km) from an agro-dealer and 56 percent are less than 6 km.

Developing an operational agricultural financing system

Value chain financing

CATALIST started to search for means to overcome the issue of lack of credit from banks for the agriculture sector in 2008 when it realized that the situation constrained value chain development. In 2009, CATALIST focused its efforts to increase knowledge, awareness and information about value chain financing through trainings and workshops.

Since April 2009, value chain facilitators have been trained on value chain financing concepts and methodology, so that they include them in their planning. Other forms of trainings provided to value chain facilitators in order to sustain efforts to increase access to finance include business management, grant management and business plan development. Following these initiatives, more than 153,836,250 Rwf were given to FO as loan trough 10 financing institutions in order to facilitate especially agricultural season campaign.

Testimony by Mr. Maniragaba on advantages of savings and credit schemes

Most of us understood that development needs investment. That is why we are clients of banks and/or MFIs. Personally, thanks to savings of 20,000 RWF I deposited into my account at CLECAM, I obtained a loan equivalent to 100,000 RWF. This allowed me to buy a cow and now I’m able to have farm yield, manure and I can feed my children with milk!

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Farmers that have opened account and have collaborated with an MFI raising hands in Nyabihu.

Inventory credit system (warrantage)

For more than a decade, IFDC used the inventory credit system in West Africa as a strategy to link farmers to financial institutions and to help the farmers obtain the highest possible crop prices and increase their incomes. CATALIST then introduced the inventory credit system approach in Rwanda. It was on April 16th, when several cooperatives and financial institution shared information on the system.

In 2009, IFDC provided a technical support to Amasezerano Community Banking. The later is a local IMF working through the Union des Coopératives des Producteurs de riz de Bugesera (UCOPRIBU) funded the temporary storage of farmers’ harvests for about 20 Million RWF. Later in September, 2010, DUTERIMBERE in conjunction with NYAMIG (Nyagatare Investment Group) began an inventory credit system for maize grown in Nyagatare District/Eastern Province. NYAMIG is comprised of members of five cooperatives that will benefit from the inventory credit system (which is also known as the warehouse receipt system and/or ‘warrantage’.). So far, members of NYAMIG have stored 487 MT of maize and received loans of RWF 9.5 million (equivalent to 60 percent of the market value of the maize at RWF 120/kg). For the next season, DUTERIMBERE has earmarked RWF 150 million for the NYAMIG to collect at least 5,000 mt of maize.

In those two cases, CATALIST has played its role of facilitator.

In January 2011, CATALIST and AQUADEV Central Africa provided technical assistance to Kenya Commercial Bank (KCB)-Rwanda, enabling it to fund three cooperatives through the inventory credit system. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to fund COOPRORIZ was signed with KCB and disbursements are expected to occur in May-June 2011. Two more cooperatives (IMPABARUTA and IABM) are hoping to receive funding from KCB once required conditions set by the bank under CATALIST technical assistance are met. The total amount anticipated to be disbursed by KCB, if the deal is sealed, is estimated at RWF 140 millions.

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CATALIST is supporting MINAGRI to achieve its targets to reach at least 30 cooperatives that understand the inventory credit system, from which 10 cooperatives should benefit from the system between January 2010 and February 2011. Terrafina and Aquadev, among the more highly regarded microfinance NGOs in Rwanda accepted and have joined CATALIST efforts to assist MINAGRI. They agreed to provide their expertise in micro-finance and cooperative assistance, since the proposal seeks to convince other MFIs and banks to introduce the inventory credit system in their portfolios.

In March 2011, CATALIST together with the World Food Program, PHHS (Post Harvest …) and MINAGRI organized a study tour in Uganda to learn more about the warehouse receipt system and inventory credit operations. This initiative follows attempts by both the government and its partners to create a well- developed inventory credit system, which is considered to be very advantageous for small-scale farmers.

Small grants

In May 2009, CATALIST launched the small grants cost-sharing program. The objective of the grants program was to support important and innovative ideas in the agriculture sector that were previously hampered by limited access to credit from typical bank loans.In Rwanda, grants were provided to six cooperatives7 to help them improve their business in activities such as: (i) Seed production; (ii) Commodity export; (iii) Processing; and (iv) Agricultural intensification. So far, five cooperatives performed well, while the sixth could not succeed due to high transportation costs associated with its green beans export operations. In fact, 7 innovative projects benefited from the programme for a total budget of 73,174 euros.

Among the successes resulting from the provided grants, the AGASARO cooperative is now producing high quality pineapple juice after using its grant to acquire juice processing equipment.

7 AGASARO Cooperative, MUSHROOMS Enterprises, UNICOOPAGI, PROMAGRI, PPCRU, RELIGIEUSES DE L’ASSOMPTION.

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Interview with Isabelle Uzamukunda of Agasaro Cooperative

Born in 2006 with the objective to increase pineapple production and to process it into juice and jam, with a membership of 50 of which 38 are women, the cooperative had very low processing standards in the beginning. The pineapple produced on 80 to 100 ha did not have a juice or jam processor or any other professional equipment.

The cooperative was chosen to receive a grant worth 17,544 USD as part of CATALIST’s small grant program in order to purchase processing and lab equipment. The processor would serve in pineapple transformation/processing thus solving the issue of overproduction. The role of the lab equipment consists in testing the quality of the juice so as to ensure that it is not harmful to the consumer. In addition, the grant was used to purchase MD2 seeds, a highly productive variety which can be preserved longer than the variety previously used by the cooperative (the Cayenne lice variety). The MD2 seeds enabled the cooperative to receive a certificate of exportation from the Rwanda Horticulture Development Authority (RHODA) and thus to expand its activities beyond Rwandan borders. Part of the funding served to purchase a cooker with a value two thousand dollars. “Today, we have an established market in Bukavu and Goma, DRC as well as in Dubai where the cooperative has exported its crops on two occasions so far”, explained Isabelle Uzamukunda of Agasaro Cooperative.

Upon receiving the CATALIST grant, the performance of Agasaro Cooperative’s members enabled the cooperative received a certificate from the Rwanda Bureau of Standardization.

Value addition is also reflected by the presence of an agronomist on the staff of the cooperative. The agronomist is responsible for organizing Farmers’ Field School days which enable farmers in the cooperative to learn about diseases that are specific to the pineapple crop.

Collaboration with financial institutions

CATALIST initiated and introduced the Interbank Committee (IBC) concept. This is a platform for discussion about challenges and opportunities encountered by financial institutions and clients interested in agricultural financing. So far, CATALIST has financed and organized six formal meetings.

As a clear output from the IBC platform, the need has been recognized for the public to have such a forum so that value chain and agriculture financing as a whole are approached properly. Although no formal indicator has shown the commitment of financial institutions, some have taken this opportunity to develop their internal strategies on how to fund the sector. The IBC idea is becoming popular and some development assistance agencies like DFID and the World Bank incorporated the concept into their respective strategies.

Moreover, CATALIST had advocated for the IBC to be part of the Financial Sector Working Group, which was adopted early in January 2011 as Agriculture Finance Sub Working Group (AFSWG) based on IBC approach and partners.

At the macro-level, a clear output from the group is that agricultural finance strategy is being developed by consultants and input from experts in the sector will be taken into account as a way of sustaining the strategy to be implemented. Once the banking sector properly understands its role and participates in the strategy formulation, access to finance for agricultural projects will be enhanced at the macro level, with an indirect benefit to CATALIST-financed value chains.

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Collaboration with Business Development Services (BDS)

CATALIST has been working with the Private Sector Federation to develop Business Development Services partnerships in order to provide technical support to value chain actors in need. At this stage, a draft MoU has been signed by both parties. It will constitute the starting point of BDS to selected value chain actors. Once the relationship between BDS providers and value chain actors is strong, it is expected that a clear sustainability of our value chains will be guaranteed even after the completion of the CATALIST project.

Road rehabilitation for farm produce access to market Under the CATALIST sub-contract with HELPAGE, investments in infrastructure have been made. These investments focused on road improvements to facilitate access to input and output markets. Road improvement consisted of widening, reshaping and resurfacing. Moreover, to control the drainage of rainwater from Muhabura volcano, 15 km on the Gahunga-Kinigi road in Musanze district were altered. Furthermore, both males and females were recruited for HIMO jobs and at the end 47,998,600 Rwf were injected into rural areas.

Table 14. Economic effects of road rehabilitation using HIMO

Items Semesters Total

3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Male 0 0 1,034 123 0 0 0 1,157

Female 0 0 1,268 78 0 0 0 1,346

Tot 0 0 2,302 201 0 0 0 2,503

Working Days 0 0 57,370 4,211 0 0 0 106,898

Rwf 0 0 44,748,600 3,250,000 0 0 0 47,998,600

Euros 0 0 56,714.87 4,085.38 0 0 0 60,800.25

5. Capacity Building IFDC has direct involvement only in trainings of trainers. Following their training, trainers are equipped with training material and funds by IFDC to go and conduct trainings for end-users. Funds can come from IFDC (in the case of IFDC service providers) or from partner institutions (in the case of out-scaling). Results are presented following the two levels of activities.

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Training of trainers on ISFM

Training of trainers on value chain development

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Trainings of trainers To be effective and efficient, CATALIST started by carrying out a thorough needs assessment in a participatory manner to have a better idea of partners’ expectations in capacity building in the framework of the project key results areas. This work was done in 2008. On the basis of the needs assessment, a multi-annual action plan was elaborated and updated each semester in order to adapt to new developments.

Priorities were focused in four areas: agriculture intensification, value chain development, input market development and association building. Within each area, specific topics were identified as presented in the table below.

Trainings of trainers were carried out either at the regional or national levels. Regional trainings focused on topics of regional interests for Rwanda, DRC and Burundi while national training was geared to address respective national needs in the three countries. Beneficiaries of trainings operations included representatives from both partner organizations and IFDC-CATALIST.

Table 15. Training of trainers 2008-2010 Number of Events (E) /

Trainees (T) 2008 2009 2010

Main Topics Particpant Profile

E T E T E T Area: Agriculture Intensification Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISFM), livestock and agriculture integration, agro-forestry in the framework of ISFM

IFDC and service providers’ agronomists, research institutes, cooperative and agronomists from farmers’ organizations

0 0 6 76 6 181

Use of Soil Kit Analysis IFDC and research institute staff 0 0 0 0 1 6 UDP technologies and machine maintenance

IFDC and partners’ agronomists, mechanicals

2 39 3 31 0 0

Small size mechanization, zero tillage Partners’ agronomists, mechanicals, drivers

0 0 0 3 5

Area: Value Chain Development Value chain facilitation and coaching process management, market analysis, business plan elaboration, negotiation and brokering

ABC facilitators, ABC coaches, Business Development Services (BDS)

3 35 4 32 6 32

Warehousing and inventory credit systems, credit and grant management

ABC facilitator, ABC coaches, BDS, staff of banks, cooperatives and farmers’ organizations

0 0 2 76 2 28

Area: Input Market Development Input product knowledge, input marketing techniques, input business management

Businessmen, staff of cooperatives and farmers’ organizations

2 8 4 6 3 26

Area: Association Building Association management, leadership, organizational development

Partners’ agronomists and agribusiness advisors

1 22 0 0 0 0

TOTAL 8 104 20 216 21 278

Partners’ interest in trainings of trainers has increased since 2008. This is illustrated by the increased number of training events as well as the increased number of attendees from 2008 to 2010 as shown below:

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Figure 12. Growth in training events and attendance

Cumulative results from 2009 and 2010 show that IFDC contributed to reach a significant number of 229 of trainers/extension officers who received different trainings concerning all aspects of integrated soil fertility management, fertilizer use, agro-forestry and integration of agriculture and livestock. Among the attendees were 20 agronomists from the Rwanda Agriculture Development Authority’s (RADA) service providers, 13 agronomists from AgriProfocus, 44 from different value chains, 34 from VI-Life, 38 from INADES and 80 leaders from community committees dealing with agro-forestry.

In value chain development, the focus was to provide value chain facilitators with skills in entrepreneurship and process management. CATALIST selected the best facilitators to equip them with additional knowledge to become value chain coaches. This new category of stakeholders will play a major role in supporting a new generation of proximity facilitators in agribusiness. The process has been done in close collaboration with the Agri-Profocus network. In addition, trainings on warehousing management and inventory credit were a focus in 2009 while in 2010 a focus was on activities’ monitoring and direct counseling.

Two phases of training of trainers of agro-dealers took place between 2008 and 2010. The first phase targeted six trainers who performed during year 2009 and 2010. The second phase increased the number with new 26 trainers expected to perform during 2010 and 2011 for the CATALIST, RADD and PReFER projects. The new target is to train 800 agro-dealers and 250 agents in year 2011 as training end-users.

Training of end-users The ultimate goal of the trainings of trainers is that they will train or advice many more stakeholders than CATALIST can do with its own staff and funds.

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Farmer Field Days on wheat in Gicumbi

Farmer Field Days on bean in Nyagatare

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Farmer Field Days in Gicumbi

The table below shows the number of participants in trainings by IFDC service providers from 2008 to March 2011.

Table 16. Training to end-users by IFDC service providers 2008 to 2010

Participants Areas

2008 2009 20108 20119

Agriculture Intensification (mainly farmers’ field schools)

0 11,416 20,495 72,713

Others ( agro-dealers, cost production, credit management, etc.)

292 432 934 7,959

TOTAL 292 11,848 21,862 80,672

The figures above show an impressive impact of the training of trainer’s model in a process of wide dissemination of knowledge and skills. As for training by trainers, their training focus is in the area of agricultural intensification targeting farmers – 90 percent in 2011. The second category of beneficiaries is agro-dealers.

8 April to September 2010 9 September 2010 to March 2011

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Figure 13. Proportion of training focus targeting farmers and agro-dealers

Training material dissemination To make training more efficient, IFDC developed training materials to address the crucial lack of such materials in the region (particularly on the topic of agriculture intensification). In total 114.500 extension leaflets on ISFM and crop pest management for farmers were written and printed in Kinyarwanda and distributed for the following crops: rice, wheat, maize, Irish potatoes, cassava, beans, soybean, tomatoes, cabbage and peas. In addition, technical booklets on ISFM (a set of nine topics) for agronomists and extension officers were printed in Kinyarwanda (4,950) and French (5,400).

6. Communication The CATALIST project used radio programs to effectively spread information to smallholder farmers throughout Burundi, DRC and Rwanda from 2009 to 2011. Many smallholder farmers in Central Africa’s Great Lakes Region do not have access to the Internet, television and/or publications. However, most have access to radios and listen throughout the day, as they are busy with field and house work.

Therefore, the project provided information to radio stations, produced programming and worked with partner organizations to provide additional content. Among the partners CATALIST worked with in Rwanda were MINAGRI, CARITAS-Bugesera, Caritas-Gicumbi, BAIR in Nyabihu District, the Union des Coopératives des Producteurs Agricoles de Gikongoro – UNICOOPAGI.

CATALIST also provided a series of articles on ISFM written in Kinyarwanda for Hinga Worora, the MINAGRI monthly magazine. The articles served as a tool to further spread knowledge on the technology and to reinforce the existing partnership among agricultural stakeholders.

Also, CATALIST published booklets, leaflets and reports to spread the information acquired during its implementation. CATALIST published and distributed 200 English and French copies of a report on Soil Acidity Control in the region. This helped raise awareness among stakeholders about the need for ISFM in

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agricultural intensification (liming to control soil acidity and use of organic matter with special focus on the role played by agro-forestry in the process).

Other publications include: (i) a series of nine ISFM Fiches Techniques and related four Documents de Référence in French; (ii) 19 technical reports written from 2006 to 2010; (iii) nine Progress Reports (from October 2006 to November 2010); (iv) CATALIST general brochures (two editions); (v) UDP leaflets and posters; (vi) a ‘Rusizi without Borders’ leaflet in French and English; (vii) an Inventory Credit System leaflet in Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, French and English.

A series of nine ISFM Fiches Techniques produced by CATALIST

CATALIST supported the fifth National Agri-Show under the theme Value Addition to Agricultural and Animal Production for Sustainable Economic Development in 2009. During the exhibition, CATALIST facilitated the participation of 105 farmers and 35 agronomists, allowing them to visit the exhibitions [Nyagatare (Rwanda Development Organization), Rusizi and Bugarama (ARDI), Musanze (Fédération IMBARAGA), Nyamagabe (Union Agricultural Cooperatives of Gikongoro-UNICOOPAGI) and Nyabihu (Bureau for Rural initiatives - BAIR)]. These farmers’ organizations were exposed to new technologies developed in Rwanda. CATALIST used the opportunity to demonstrate and promote UDP technology.

These publications can be found on www.ifdc-catalist.org, a project-specific website that was launched in 2009.

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At the end of the Agri-Show, IFDC received a trophy from MINAGRI in recognition of IFDC’s contribution to the success of the event.

7. More Conducive National and Sub-Regional Policies

Contributions and institutional support for national policies In Rwanda, CATALIST has collaborated closely with MINAGRI on issues pertaining to the efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural input markets. To this end, in April 2007, responding to a request from the Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture, an IFDC economist from headquarters developed , in conjunction with ministry and project staff, the Rwanda National Fertilizer Strategy (RNFS). The strategy was adopted soon after its submission to the GOR. This RNFS was developed around the following three objectives:

• The creation of an enabling policy, regulatory and investment environment for fertilizer market development;

• The stimulation of effective demand for fertilizer among producers;

• Strengthening the capacity of the private sector to supply quality fertilizer at affordable prices. CATALIST sponsored and organized the Regional Roundtable on Fertilizer Supply in 2008 with participants from Kenya, Uganda, Burundi, DRC and Rwanda. Participants included Government representatives, Private Sector, Farmers’ Organizations and Farmers.

As an active member of the “Rural Cluster,” CATALIST contributed to efforts to optimize Ministerial policies, strategies and laws related to agricultural intensification (CIP, Agriculture Financing Strategy, etc.). At MINAGRI’s request, CATALIST carried out an evaluation of CIP and submitted a report on the issue. Results were presented to MINAGRI and ASWG as well. For example: An IFDC staff member co-chaired a working group which designed an action plan for the privatization of the agricultural input sector. On June 28, 2010 the policy document laying out the exit strategy from fertilizer procurement for the GoR was

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adopted by the ASWG. This document created the framework for the USAID grant which will, over the next five years, guide the privatization of the sector.

Rwandan President Paul Kagame hails P4P

Addressing the World Food Program’s membership and senior staff during his visit to Rome for World Food Day, the President of Rwanda, HE Paul Kagame, highlighted the initiation of Purchase for Progress( P4P) in his country: “The Purchase for Progress programme has several advantages and benefits. It not only brings incomes to farmers, it also encourages private sector participation and builds the farmers’ capacities to be better market players," Kagame said.

In Rwanda, the primary goal of P4P is to support the efforts of the Government to boost agricultural production and to improve the income of smallholder farmers by developing the market. Partners including the International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC) provide training on production and marketing, while WFP’s demand for food commodities provides an initial market for smallholders’ produce. President Kagame added that the initiative “has the potential to be extended to other crops besides maize, for example wheat, rice and beans, that may be of interest to WFP as well. We would like to work with you in other areas to help farmers reduce post-harvest losses and improve their access to storage systems.”

Source: WFP, 2010, Purchase for Progress October update.

As detailed in the previous chapter, CATALIST provided technical assistance to MINAGRI in setting up the fertilizer distribution trough auction and voucher system. The electronic auction system was introduced in season “2009 A”. These two new systems have contributed to reach more farmers and thus fertilizer imports have increased from 3,000 mt/year in 2005 to 40,000 mt/year in 2010. Consequently food production rose from 716,567 mt in 2006 to 926,945 mt in 2009. Note that it is not only due to the introduction of the voucher and auction systems but also other Government of Rwanda strategies to boost agricultural production in order to achieve agriculture transformation.

IFDC-CATALIST has provided information on the evolution of Rwandan fertilizer prices in comparison to the world market and an analysis of trends over years for use in market information systems. The information has been distributed to over 20 stakeholders in Rwanda ranging from the public and private sectors to producers’ organizations (MINAGRI; Chamber of Agriculture; RADA; Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MINECOFIN); Multi-sector Investment Group (MIG); AGROTECH; AFRICHEM; ROPARWA; Farmers’ Organization “Strength” (IMBARAGA); OCIR-THE; OCIR-CAFÉ; Seed Traders Association of Rwanda; ENTREPRISE MUKAHAKIZIMANA; MUSANZE), etc.

Regional collaboration Collaboration with East African Grain Council (EAGC) - In April 2007, the Chief of Party and the National Coordinator for Rwanda attended the East African Grain Council meeting in Nairobi, Kenya. The meeting brought together large grain traders, millers, input suppliers and government decision-makers to discuss ways to improve regional integration of the grain markets in East Africa. Other topics discussed included the use of warehouse receipts programs and the impact of biofuel development on consumer commodity prices. Contacts were also established with key players in the grain industry which have been exploited later.

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Networking of fertilizer traders - On April 25, 2007, CATALIST organized a meeting in its Rwanda office to establish business linkages between SOPAV and ICM, an Australian agribusiness company. The interaction resulted in a business deal between the two companies on fertilizer procurement and blending.

Regional fertilizer roundtable - On December 17-18, 2007, CATALIST held its first regional roundtable on fertilizer supply in Kigali. The event brought together input traders from Rwanda, Burundi, and DRC as well as regional suppliers (MEA, ARI). The event led MEA, based in Nairobi, to open a regional fertilizer branch in Kigali. Discussions centered on the following topics: (i) Opportunities and challenges for a regional fertilizer market and national fertilizer policies; (ii) Commodity clusters are still being established at the national level. Discussions started both with WFP offices in Kivu and Rwanda, looking for collaboration, viewing WFP’s food procurements as a (temporary) regional market; and (iii) creation of a regional federation. A second roundtable was held in Burundi in 2009. Discussions focused on harmonizing policies regarding fertilizers import at regional level.

Minister Daphrose GAHAKWA, the PSF DG, Robert BAYIGAMBA and the CATALIST COP, Geoffrey LIVINGSTON

Collaboration with STAR10 project - CATALIST collaborated with the STAR project and COMESA to facilitate the establishment of the Fertilizer Association of Africa. CATALIST collaborated with STAR, CropLife and AFSTA to examine regional, legal and regulatory frameworks and their impacts on input trade and collaboration.

Collaboration with Economic Community of the Great Lakes (CEPGL) - In February 2007 a MoU between CATALIST and the CEPGL (Economic Community of the Great Lakes) was developed and signed in order to promote agriculture intensification. In fact, the Rusizi Plain (more than 160,000 ha) is shared by the three countries and offers many opportunities for rice production. The collaboration between CEPGL and CATALIST will promote the production of rice through input market development (fertilizer, seeds, new technology of mechanization, etc.) and agricultural value chain creation.

10 STAR = Strengthening Trade in East Africa Region

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This joint initiative is also expected to reinforce social cohesion between the three Rusizi populations by allowing free movement of people, goods and investment and creating synergies between producers and other actors involved in the rice value chain. Countries will be able to specialize in various areas such as seed production, processing, market development and attract investors.

As a result both organizations launched the Rusizi without Borders (Rusizi sans Frontières or RsF) project in Bujumbura on July 21, 2010 and in February 2011, a multinational steering committee made up of representatives from governments, the private sector and farmers’ organization was created. An action plan has been developed and the first activities are underway.

Collaboration with USAID’s COMPETE project and (EAGC) for improved access to Market Information Systems. In collaboration with the USAID COMPETE project and the East African Grain Council (EGAC), efforts have been provided to assist in the development of a harmonized system for the target focus countries and the Kivu. If successful, data can be easily shared and available to all users, plus it will provide the opportunity to link to the evolving MIS systems in Uganda and Tanzania. Ultimately all five countries with common borders could be linked.

The Advisory Committee on Regional Collaboration and Trade - CATALIST’s Advisory Committee on Regional Collaboration and Trade met annually for information exchange regarding regional programs and policies. Members have been presented with information on issues and constraints associated with the development of the seed sector in the region.

Potato field in Musanze Wheat field in Gicumbi Beans field in Nyagatare

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Honorable guests have visited CATALIST activities:

IFDC Africa Board of Directors visiting CATALIST field activities in Gicumbe District, Northern Province.

Dr. Agnes Kalibata, Rwanda Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, and Dr Ben Knapen, Dutch Minister for Development Cooperation, February 2011. H.E. Frans Makken, Ambassador of the

Netherlands in Rwanda and a delegation from The Hague visiting CATALIST field activities in Musanze District in Gashaki Sector.

Conclusions The use of ISFM technologies led to increased crop production compared to usual farmer practice in various agro-ecological zones. Farmers using ISFM increased family revenues and therefore improved their livelihood (food security at the family level, paying school fees for children both in primary and secondary school, payment of medical insurance, development of credit and savings, constructing improved shelter, accessing electricity and/or a power supply, etc. )

In collaboration with MINAGRI, CIP service providers’ agronomists were trained on ISFM. Actually, partners are convinced to promote crop intensification on cereals (maize and wheat) and other crops (potatoes, vegetables) efficiently in the country using ISFM technologies.

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Furthermore, promotion of linkages among value chain stakeholders has contributed a lot to improve business of entrepreneurs and results are encouraging entrepreneurs to go ahead

Constraints and lessons learned • Crop production costs are still too high; the reasons include: the cost of labor is still too high and

sometimes underestimated; agriculture is not yet fully considered as an income-generating activity; and despite CATALIST’s efforts in promoting ISFM, other interventions in Rwanda focused mainly on fertilizer use without the proper combination of chemical fertilizers with improved organic matter and seeds and pesticides.

• The issue of a lack of improved seeds at a national level (especially for Irish potatoes) is alarming. This situation needs to be dealt with through the combined efforts of the GOR, MINAGRI and other partners.

• Limited progress has been made in improving fertilizer recommendations for particular crops in particular areas. One reason for this is the promise made to the donor that CATALIST is a project applying research results without conducting research. Research should be left to national and regional institutes.

• Over the course of the project, however, CATALIST has been successful in introducing ISFM. It has done so by: reinforcing the demand side of the input market through participatory tests and demonstrations; involvement of private sector in input market development; organizing AGRA and USAID support in input market development; and stressing the need for value chain development.

• CATALIST was not successful enough in influencing national and regional policies. Adoption of the voucher and auction system as a component of its fertilizer subsidy strategy does not yet ensure effective private sector involvement in fertilizer market development.

• Availability of agricultural credit is still very low. While some progress has been made in interesting farmers’ organizations and value chain actors to adopt the inventory credit system , the availability of credit for farmers as well as for trade and enterprise development is still too low.

Perspectives • Focus on agriculture value chain development by targeting profitable value chains.

• From the market (to produce what the market demands): include vegetables, fruits and animal products; enhance the products’ quality, standards to be more competitive.

• Strengthen local entrepreneurs (small-scale, local market; target also the big villages and suburbs in order to decrease the transaction costs).

• Keep the promotion of ISFM and mechanization in the perspective of value chain development.

• Place more focus on adapting finance systems through value chains and the broader introduction of the inventory credit system/warehouse receipt system.

CATALISTThis brochure is a publication of the IFDC-implemented CATALIST Project. | www.ifdc-catalist.org | ifdcrwanda@ifdc.orgFunding is generously provided by the Netherlands Directorate-General for Development Cooperation (DGIS).

IFDC Rwanda730, Kimihurura II – Gasabo DistrictP. O. Box 6758, KigaliOffice: +250 255 10 42 11

IFDC Burundi3 - Bweru Street Rohero IIP. O. Box 1995, BujumburaTelephone: +257 22 25 78 75 +257 22 27 35 66

IFDC CongoQ. Himbi, GomaTelephone: +243 813 134 697

Helpage Regional HeadquartersB.P. 6682 - Ville de KigaliRwandaTelephone: +250 (0)25 25 34 87 +250 (0)25 25 34 88

PROJECT HEADQUARTERS BURUNDI OFFICE CONGO DRC OFFICE HELPAGE CRGL