Regional Integration and Agricultural Trade Development in Rwanda: The Case of Staple Foods Sector

Abstract

SUMMARYThis paper investigated the impact of regional integration on the agricultural trade development. Using a literature review, the study showed that the results of common agricultural initiatives aiming at agriculture sector and agricultural trade development have not been convincing due to lack of appropriate mechanisms and institutional actions to operationalize regional agricultural policy and strategy at the national level. The paper also revealed that Rwanda benefited from its accession to EAC, especially in terms of the ease of access to regional markets through the establishment of the Common Market, the Customs Union and the alleviation of some of regional trade barriers for basic foodstuffs and consumer goods. This led to an increased value of its agricultural products exports to neighboring countries. The analysis of the Net Export Index and the Grubel-Lloyd measure for maize, potato and bean revealed that Rwanda is a net importer of maize and a net exporter of potato and bean. For these two staple foods, the results revealed that if Rwanda manages, through policy and institutional actions, to remove or alleviate the bottlenecks that prevent farmers from producing enough for export, it can have a competitive advantage on neighboring countries' markets whose access has been facilitated by its accession to the EAC.

Productivity and Competitiveness of Rwandan Agriculture: A Case Study of the Maize Sector

“…In case of over dosage, the productivity reduces due to toxicity effect (FAO, 2005). In addition, the study by Musabanganji et al (2016b) has documented that most of smallholder farmers in cooperatives in Rwanda are experiencing the lack of financial means and technical assistance. Then, it seems evident that maize growers have difficulties acquiring all necessary inputs, and even those who are capable fail to use them in convenient and rational manner due to lack of required knowledge.…”

Food security status and coping strategies among small-scale crop farmers in Volcanic Highlands in Rwanda

“…This contrasts Nakabo-Ssewanyana's (2003) remark that raising incomes has an effective impact on the reduction of food insecurity, and von Braun's (1992) view that private savings and investments improve household food security. They have also poor access to financial resources (Musabanganji et al, 2015), which limit them to pay for quality inputs (Oladeebo and Oladeebo, 2008) and thus achieve low productivity (Kelly and Murekezi, 2000). Consequently, the food security situation may continuously aggravate alongside the years (Mulumeoderhwa et al, 2020).…”

“…This leads to food insecurity (Cambrezy and Janin, 2003) mainly because of uncertainties and environmental constraints (droughts, floods, cyclones) which can intervene in the emergence of food risk (Ringler et al, 2010). Another important factor is the poor access to financial resources (Musabanganji et al, 2015) since it would allow small farmers to pay for quality inputs (Oladeebo and Oladeebo, 2008) so as to increase productivity (Kelly and Murekezi, 2000).…”