Nearly 300 agricultural experts, policymakers, donors and representatives from the African Union (AU), the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and other international organizations convened in Kigali, Rwanda from December 7-8, 2009 for a high-level stakeholders meeting on investments into Rwanda’s agricultural sector through NEPAD’s Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP).

 At the end of the two-day CAADP Post-Compact meeting, African states agreed to follow Rwanda's commitment to implement the programme while the donor platform agreed to fund country-led approaches. 

The continental meeting hailed Rwanda's progress in the sector and strategies put in place to sustain agriculture production, maintain food security and support nutrition initiatives.

Rwanda was the first country to sign the CAADP Compact in March 2007. The reasons for the post-CAADP Compact follow-up meeting were to:

• review the achievements registered so far by Rwanda in terms of accelerating the CAADP agenda at the national level;
• analyze and share lessons learned from some of the challenges faced by Rwanda and other African countries in pursuing the CAADP agenda;
• identify opportunities for investment financing from donors, multilateral organizations, the private sector, civil society organizations, farmers and regional economic communities towards Rwanda’s agricultural priorities;
• and, look at the ways in which Rwanda’s Agriculture Investment Plan and even the Vision 2020 can act as entry points for support towards agricultural-led development.

More information is available on Rwanda’s Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Resources website or from CAADP.