Agri-ProFocus – IPER (Initiative for Rural Entrepreneurship development in Rwanda) September 2010 BRIEF PRESENTATION 1

Brief history of APF-IPER Early 2008 ICCO, Agriterra and Terrafina took the initiative to join forces concerning their value chain, producer organisation and rural finance oriented programs in Rwanda. The Agri-ProFocus support office was requested to start and facilitate a trajectory of rural entrepreneurship promotion in Rwanda. Progressively, other APF members joined and created IPER. 2

’Agri-ProFocus members in Rwanda 3

IPER History  November 2008: Training on value chain Kick off meeting for APF members and Rwandan partners  In the second semester of 2009, the IPER coalition organized coaching missions to the created agribusiness clusters and started the development of a toolbox for facilitating multi- stakeholder processes 4

IPER HISTORY (Continued) At the beginning of February 2010 a planning workshop was held with the participation of all coalition members and their partners, Agri business Clusters (ABCs)and other actors involved in value chain development. IPER oscillates around the dynamics of 15 practical agribusiness clusters, that were identified in a bottom-up manner. The ABCs operate on different domestic food value chains (rice, maize, potatoes, wheat, cassava and honey) 5

APF- IPER history objectives Rwanda Country Agreement signed in 2009 by APF members Objectives! 1)Establish solid, transparent and action-oriented support programs with local partners and actors to promote rural entrepreneurship and increase the performance in different commodity chains through; (i) the enhancement of the capacities of agribusiness clusters (ii) increasing access to support services, and (iii) the empowerment of producer organisations 6

IPER Objectives (Continued) 2) Enhance cross-cutting collaboration and learning among parties and their local partners 3) Support local partners to establish a knowledge platform in order to jointly develop and disseminate knowledge 4) Support local partners and local governing structures in the establishment of a sustainable support modus for promoting rural entrepreneurship. 7

Outcomes of IPER 1.Vibrant action and learning network between coalition members, their Rwandan partners and others (PO, Private sector, Donors, Government, Research Institutions, etc.) 2.A strong group of facilitators exists and is effective 3.Well functioning agribusiness clusters 4.Better quality and more effective services provided to agribusiness clusters 8

AGRI BUSINESS CLUSTER 9

 CHALLENGES  Entrepreneurship promotion is not easy  Facilitation is not the same as capacity building. The current situation is a bit confusing  The size of some clusters does not allow a good linkage among the actors of the chain  Approaches are not harmonized among APF-IPER coalition members 10

SOME STRATEGIES 1)Stimulate entrepreneurship at the ABC level: Introduction of a basket fund : ABCs write proposals, hire service providers and sign contracts with them 11

Change from Developm ent agency Local NGO/ facilitator Farmers as target groups funds accounta bility servi- ces 12

Farmers as actors / entrepreneurs Service providers Dev. agencies Basket fund Accountability Services & accountability Needs / ToR funds Request service provision funds 13

Some strategies (Continued) 2) Facilitation:  ABCs identify proximity facilitators  Current facilitators become coaches  Some coaches will become facilitators 3) Harmonize approaches FACILITATION DOCUM.docx 14

THANK YOU VERY MUCH !!!! MERCI BEAUCOUP!!!! 15