The Rwandan Ministry of Agriculture last week launched a web-based information system that will provide quality statistics on food and agriculture at the national and sub-national levels.

Country START is an initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) with the financial support of $5.6m from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation – the foundation works with various partners to provide millions of small farmers in developing countries with tools and opportunities to increase their yields and improve their social welfare.
The national coordinator of country START Rwanda Jean Marie Vianney Nyabyenda, said that the process will institute and reinforce institutional networks, ensure synchronization and homogeny of strewn institutional statistical data from various sources. The system process is also expected to facilitate planning and decision-making by policy makers and analysts, especially in the fight against hunger and poverty.
“For Rwanda where agriculture is the backbone of the national economy, accurate and detailed information on food and agriculture is crucial for planning and progress towards great food security in the country,” he said.
Nyabyenda noted that the foundation is working to strengthen the entire agricultural value chain from seeds and soil to farm management and market access so that the fight against hunger and poverty is sustained over the long term.