Country Profile: Rwanda

	credit: UNCDF

The landlocked mountainous country of Rwanda lying south of the equator in Central Africa is the most densely populated country on the African continent. The majority of people (90 per cent) live in rural areas and are mostly engaged in subsistence agriculture. Major exports are tea and coffee, with quality improving in both sectors. Rwanda's volcanic soils are fertile but the population growth rate is high (over 2.5 per cent) and with few natural resources and minimal industry almost two thirds of the population live below the poverty line. Periodic drought, soil erosion and soil exhaustion through over-cultivation on small family plots has led to food insecurity in some parts. However, despite its precarious political fragility, particularly as a result of the devastating genocide and civil war in 1994, Rwanda has since made substantial progress in rebuilding its agricultural production, rehabilitating its infrastructure and in stabilising its economy.

A traumatic past

Throughout Rwanda's history, the country has experienced distinct periods of turbulence and violence. But in just three months during 1994, more than 800,000 people were killed and a further 200,000 displaced. The majority of those that died were Tutsis, with the violence predominantly perpetrated by the Hutus. Ethnic tension between the two groups is not a recent occurrence but dates back almost one hundred years when Belgian colonists gave preferential treatment to the Tutsi minority. Resentment amongst the Hutus led to civil unrest in the late 1950s resulting in the deaths of over 20,000 Tutsis with many more fleeing to neighbouring countries. After independence the Hutus took power but tensions between the ethnic groups continued, culminating in the assassination of Hutu president, as his plane was shot down over the Rwandan capital, Kigali on April 6th 1994. Within hours of the incident, an unofficial militia group known as the Interahamwe, encouraged by the presidential guard and radio propaganda, led the vicious killings against Tutsis and more moderate Hutus. The slaughter was brought to an end in July as the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) captured Kigali. A new multi-ethnic government was formed shortly after led by a Hutu president, Pasteur Bizimungu.

Seeds of Hope...

However, the three months of unsurpassed slaughter of Rwanda's people did more than leave deep emotional scars on the people that survived. Before the war, Rwanda grew six hundred varieties of beans - the largest diversity anywhere in the world. Beans are a Rwandan staple and are eaten at least once a day but the months of civil war coincided with the crop growing season, fields were abandoned and households consumed the seeds stored for the next planting season. Many traditional varieties were feared lost. Within months, however, an international effort led by The International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), launched "Seeds of Hope" to multiply seeds held in seed banks around the world of the six most important food crops (beans, sorghum, maize, potato and sweet potato, plantains and cassava) in order to produce vital supplies for redistribution to farmers in Rwanda. This successful initiative has been attributed with reviving Rwanda's agriculture and has led to similar initiatives in other regions in the aftermath of conflict and natural disaster.

credit: FAO

A recent report from the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) 'Healing wounds', emphasizes the importance of agricultural development and research for recovery from natural disasters and human conflict. Documenting three decades of agricultural development work in forty-seven countries, the report highlights the role of agricultural development in Rwanda's recovery. In 2004, the BBC reported on progress from Rwanda's hilly South made by Gemima Mukashyaka, a twenty six year old coffee grower. After the genocide, she joined Rwanda's national coffee company, supplying fair trade beans to an international market. The experience has enabled her to hire labourers, buy clothes, and she says, "It has brought a spirit of togetherness that is part of the process of reconciliation."

...but challenges remain

However, increasing agricultural production for a growing population has not been easy. Since 1994, nearly 4 million people, either internally displaced or returning refugees, have been competing for scarce land resources; the population density in Rwanda now stands at between 300-700 people/km2. Despite concerns from the NGO and donor community, a resettlement policy of 'villagisation' was implemented by the Government in order to settle people into low cost housing blocks in villages as opposed to traditional small unit settlement of people on hills. The process has been heavily criticized, particularly as the settlements have reinforced ethnic segregation but resettling such an unprecedented number of refugees has to deserve some credit.

And the process continues. In 2005, more than 7,000 refugees from the Democratic Republic of Congo returned home to Rwanda. However, increasing numbers of orphans are also adding to Rwanda's burden. Orphans from the genocide are now eking out a living from the land alongside the increasing number of children orphaned through HIV/AIDS. Prevalence rates of HIV/AIDS amongst adults are now estimated to be above five percent. With assistance from international organisations, such as UNICEF, support is given in the way of small livestock, seeds, tools and fertilizers. A growing number of agricultural associations have also been created by orphaned children. However, the scars of genocide remain and agricultural inputs are not the only support needed for these vulnerable young adults.

From trauma to triumph?

Rwanda remains one of the 20 poorest countries in the world. However the progress that Rwanda has made in poverty reduction, qualified it in April 2005 for debt relief under the World Bank Enhanced HIPC initiative, amounting in real terms to some US$1.4 billion. In his End-of-Year speech, President Kagame praised improved security in the country, and stressed that many saving schemes, cooperatives, and developmental initiatives had been established to generate income for Rwandans.

He praised economic growth, rising to 6% in 2005, a result he said, of "improvement in agriculture and industrialisation." He also emphasised the target of improved use of IT in agriculture in 2006, and noted that the recent World Bank ranking of Rwanda placed it among the ten best countries in the world for attracting investment. Tourism is also increasing. A government target to generate $100-million in tourism receipts by 2010, creating high-value and low-environmental impact experiences, has already been surpassed. Official figures show that, in 2004, Rwanda attracted 27 000 tourists generating more than $15-million dollars in revenue.

1st March 2006

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