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Improving Market Systems for Agriculture in Rwanda (IMSAR) helps commercialise agriculture by improving the way agricultural market systems function, making them more effective, participatory (by including poor farmers and other disadvantaged groups) and more competitive.
Rwanda is currently going through a transformation process and the agricultural sector provides a huge opportunity to drive growth, create jobs and raise incomes for the poor population. Generating more than 50% of the export revenues, the agricultural sector can be grown and diversified with targeted investments to improve productivity and competitiveness in the global market. There are many people living in poverty and depending on agriculture who need different investments that focus on labour intensive crops and value-addition processes. If a clear agenda is agreed on to encourage more competition and private sector investments, the Government of Rwanda will be highly motivated and a committed partner in achieving these goals.
IMSAR builds on constraint-driven approaches, developing a clear vision for a more commercialized and industrialized agricultural sector, and transition strategies for the poor. It adopts a market development approach to increase the income of poor households by supporting market actors (including the poor) to adopt new practices (business models, products, services, rules, behaviours and norms) that improve the way markets work for the poor. The market actors include: poor men and women, firms, government agencies, business associations, financial institutions, and NGOs that have a legitimate role in the markets. IMSAR facilitates change through the provision of a flexible package of technical assistance and access to finance.
The programme brings agribusinesses, lenders and investors together to design new financing products and mechanisms, testing and scaling them in the Rwandan market. IMSAR provides expertise and assists in:
The programme engages with international, regional, and Rwandan agribusinesses and investors, building connections and making deals that drive inclusive growth. It prioritises the pro-poor impact for the most vulnerable groups, ensuring real benefits for the rural poor as they integrate into higher performing markets. IMSAR also works effectively with the Government of Rwanda, remaining independent but influential in improving government policy making and investments in key agricultural sectors.
The programme contributes to increasing the incomes of poor households in targeted agricultural market systems. It helps commercialise agriculture by improving the way agricultural market systems function, making them more effective, participatory (by including poor farmers and other disadvantaged groups) and more competitive. It aims to increase the incomes of poor households in targeted agricultural systems by making selected market systems work more effectively for poor farmers and Medium, Small and Micro Enterprises (MSMEs).
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The ultimate beneficiary will be the poor of Rwanda, with participation mostly in focus markets. This will be achieved through the provision of support and services to market actors with whom the programme will directly partner, or who will benefit from the published market analysis.
The outcome of the intervention will be that ‘Selected market systems work more effectively for poor farmers and MSMEs.’ The programme seeks to achieve the below results:
The programme will contribute to achieving an increase in the number of off-farm jobs created as well as an upsurge in the average incomes of poor farmers.
Results to date