On December 5^th – 6^th, 2023, the Rwanda Agriculture and Animal Resources Development Board (RAB), in partnership with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and other partners, held a consultative Stakeholders' Workshop for setting up a platform for implementing agro-ecology practices in Kamonyi district called “Kamonyi agro-ecology Living Lab”. This establishment of this platform is facilitated by the project aiming at “Driving agro-ecological transitions in the humid tropics of Central and Eastern Africa through traNsdisciplinary Agroecology Living LabS (CANALLS)”.  

The project is being implemented in four countries namely Burundi, Cameroun, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Rwanda, which were identified for piloting the project interventions and Kamonyi district in Rwanda has been selected as the action site. The project partners are RAB, playing the role of lead, IITA, Maggot Company, and COPED Group.

Participants to the workshop were explained the need of setting up an operational and multi-actor agro-ecology platform (Living Lab) in Kamonyi with their involvement as an opportunity to improve operations in agriculture business for growth. This firsthand openness conceded them a significant comprehension of the key concepts of the project such as Agroecology, Living Lab and Co-creation as explained by Dr. Vicky Ruganzu.

During the debut occasion, Dr. Vicky Ruganzu underscored the significance of this preparation in enabling Rwandan farmers and stakeholders with state-of-the-art strategies and increasing current standards for agricultural efficiency. He requested the participants to capitalize on this opportunity to obtain important information and abilities that will empower them to upgrade farming creation and further develop crop value chain suitable to the area towards Rwanda's objective of accomplishing food security.

The workshop was conducted around two main aspects namely the introduction of the agro-ecology concept and co-creation process. The inception part has focused on basic concepts of agroecology living lab at the level that can be understood by all the stakeholders, including farmers. The co-creation was more discussing on challenges, objectives, and potential solutions related to agroecology practices.

Key stakeholders were therefore identified and participated in this consultative meeting which include representatives from government, academia, research, non-government organizations, civil society, value chain actors and farmers’ organizations.

The key challenges identified by participants to be focused on in the planning of interventions include soil degradation, climate change effects, insufficient policy incentives on agro-ecology practices, crop diseases (cassava).

To address the above-mentioned challenges, participants recommended to improve business of nutrient recycling, identify and test biological soil erosion control practices adapted to Kamonyi, identify and test agroforestry system and climate smart agriculture practices including Conservation Agriculture adapted to Kamonyi and to play advocacy for Government to support nutrient recycling and the household waste separation.

The workshop clinched by agreeing on the establishment of Kamonyi Agro-ecology Living Lab as platform of driving interventions of the project. A plan of next steps was drawn and encompasses the formalization set up of the Living Lab with appointed stakeholders, and start prototyping of activities.