The Sustainable Food Production for Poverty Reduction project, led by Concern Worldwide and ARDI, targets 1,400 extremely poor households (7,000 people) in Gisagara and Nyaruguru, Rwanda. Over 48 months, EU-funded support in climate-smart agriculture, business grants, and nutrition training boosts food security, income, and gender-inclusive, resilient local agricultural value chains. from 1st July2 2026 , the project was fully transferred to ARDI following the closure of Concern Worldwide’s Rwanda operations, which previously led the project- Kungahara and ARDI as co-lead. During the Quarter 2, 2026 and next period of the project cycle, ARDI is responsible for the full implementation ( September 2027)
Sustainable Food Production for Poverty Reduction in Rwanda
Lead Applicant: Concern Worldwide, in partnership with ARDI Location: Gisagara & Nyaruguru Districts, Southern Province, Rwanda
Duration: 48 months Funder: European Union (11th EDF)
Objectives
? Overall objective: Strengthen local markets and improve food and nutrition security in Rwanda.
? Specific objective: Enhance local food production and availability of nutritious food by promoting gender- and environmentally-inclusive agriculture value chains in Southern Province.
? Built around three outputs addressing the availability, access, and utilisation pillars of food security, with the stability pillar reinforced throughout.
Beneficiaries
? 7,000 individuals (50% women) reached across targeted communities.
? 1,400 households (7,000 people; 70% women) receive the full package of direct support — smallholder farmers in extreme poverty, selected via criteria such as land under 0.25 ha, female-headed households, and households with pregnant/lactating women, children under two, or malnourished children.
? 3 cohorts of participants (400 in Cohort 1in Gisagara district; 500 each in Cohorts 2 & 3 in Nyaruguru district), each engaged ~24 months, allowing adaptive learning between cohorts.
? 4,900 additional community members benefit indirectly through environmental awareness activities.
Core Activities
? Training of Trainers for agri-business trainers, care group volunteers, and father group volunteers.
? Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) and agroforestry training via Farmer Field Learning Schools (FFLS) and tree nurseries.
? Business investment grants (cash transfers) disbursed through SACCOs to fund agricultural income-generating activities.
? Formation of business groups / early-stage cooperatives, including formal registration support with RCA.
? Financial inclusion support: VSLA formation, savings and micro-finance linkages.
? Agri-nutrition training, home garden establishment, and malnutrition screening for children under 5.
? Gender-transformative dialogue sessions for couples, singles, and youth.
? Pro-poor advocacy and market linkage events connecting participants to buyers, input suppliers, and financial service providers.
Methodology
? Adaptive, cohort-based rollout combining practical field-based training (FFLS, tree nurseries, home gardens, compost heaps) with cash-based grant modalities for flexibility and autonomy.
? Delivery through existing local structures (village leaders, agri-extension workers, CHWs, para-vets) to strengthen sustainability.
? Participatory, community-based targeting with an accessible complaints and feedback mechanism.
? Continuous monitoring: post-distribution monitoring of grants, regular field visits, and business-skills follow-up sessions.
? Builds on lessons from Concern's prior Irish Aid-funded livelihoods programme (2017–2022), including inflation-adjusted grants and tighter geographic targeting.
Expected Impact
? Technical: 1,400 farmers with improved CSA, agroforestry, business, and financial-literacy skills, and stronger market/cooperative engagement.
? Economic: Increased household income, product diversity, and stronger local value chains and market linkages.
? Social: Improved food and nutrition security and dietary diversity for 1,400 households; more gender-inclusive value chains; reduced gender-based violence; environmental awareness reaching 4,900 additional community members.
? Policy: Advocacy for reduced barriers to market and financial access, feeding into district and national malnutrition and social-protection strategies.
? Sustainability: Business groups formalised into registered cooperatives, VSLAs continuing beyond the project, and stronger local/institutional capacity to sustain gains after funding ends.
NYARUGURU AND GISAGARA District
? 7,000 individuals (50% women) reached across targeted communities. ? 1,400 households (7,000 people; 70% women) receive the full package of direct support — smallholder farmers in extreme poverty, selected via criteria such as land under 0.25 ha, female-headed households, and households with pregnant/lactating women, children under two, or malnourished children.
September 1, 2024 - September 30, 2027
$178,000.00
? Overall objective: Strengthen local markets and improve food and nutrition security in Rwanda.
? Specific objective: Enhance local food production and availability of nutritious food by promoting gender- and environmentally-inclusive agriculture value chains in Southern Province.
? Built around three outputs addressing the availability, access, and utilisation pillars of food security, with the stability pillar reinforced throughout.