Ending hunger and malnutrition, and building human capacity is “a moral obligation that we need to fulfill as the current generation,” highlighted Dr. Gerardine Mukeshimana, the Honorable Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources, as she opened the Compact2025 Forum in Kigali, Rwanda on October 23, 2017. Jointly hosted by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources of Rwanda, the Forum built on recommendations from the first Roundtable Discussion held in Kigali last year, and focused on how Rwanda can accelerate progress to end hunger and malnutrition by 2025.
Minister Mukeshimana updated the Forum of key progress made in Rwanda based on last year’s recommendations, emphasizing that in addition to established processes, all sectors and stakeholders must join hands to improve coordinated efforts to end hunger and malnutrition. In particular, mainstreaming nutrition across sectors is key. Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General of IFPRI, also welcomed stakeholders and set the stage for the presentations and discussions of the Forum.
Jean Claude Kayisinga, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources, presented an overview of the Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture in Rwanda (PSTA), highlighting the priorities of PSTA4 to be finalized later this year. Eelco Baan of SNV spoke of the Voice for Change Partnership, and the key role of evidence and advocacy to strengthen food security. Following the introduction by Lisa Godwin, Health Office Director of USAID, Silver Karumba, Co-chair of the Technical Working Group on Food and Nutrition Security, emphasized elements that need to be prioritized in policies and programs in order to accelerate progress. Dr. Shenggen Fan presented on the plan of action and recommendations on how Compact2025 can best provide support, particularly in the areas of coordination, data and knowledge gaps, and capacity strengthening.
Stakeholders participated in a roundtable discussion to address questions of: 1) key opportunities for multisectoral collaboration, 2) evidence gaps Compact2025 can fill to increase impact of programs, 3) knowledge systems that are needed in Rwanda that Compact2025 can support or create, and 4) accountability mechanisms that are needed all partners are accountable for the final result of ending hunger and malnutrition.
Additional meeting documents can be found here:
- Meeting agenda
- Meeting synopsis
- Presentation on "Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation 4 (PSTA 4)" by Jean Claude Kayisinga, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources
- Presentation on "Voice for Change, Strengthening Food Security through better Evidence and Advocacy" by Eelco Baan, SNV
- Presentation on "Accelerating Progress in Nutrition: What are the Priorities?" by Silver Karumba, Co-chair of Technical Working Group on Food and Nutrition Security
- Presentation on "Accelerating Progress: Plan of Action for Compact2025" by Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General, IFPRI
