The International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad) president, Kanayo Nwanze, is today afternoon expected to arrive in Rwanda for a four-day official visit aimed at strengthening the country’s collaboration with his organisation.

The Rome based United Nations agency head is expected to meet President Paul Kagame and other high level government officials in the ministries of Agriculture and Finance.

The deliberations will focus on how to further strengthen collaboration between the government and Ifad for continued implementation of the government’s Strategic Plan for the Transformation of Agriculture, according to a statement from the organisation.

The strategic plan aims at moving agriculture from subsistence to a more knowledge-intensive, competitive and market-oriented sector.

In the statement issued ahead of his trip, Nwanze said agriculture was a key component in the elimination of hunger and poverty and Rwanda was an example of how investments channeled into agriculture could lead to economic development.

In the Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy (EDPRS), the agriculture sector’s impact was considered in alleviating over a million Rwandans from poverty in recent years.

"Agriculture is central to eliminating hunger, improving nutrition, eradicating poverty, empowering marginalised people, and managing natural resources. And, of course, it is central to creating business opportunities in rural areas, so that people do not have to leave to find work,” Nwanze said.

Rwanda is a prominent example of how targeted investment in agriculture has led to economic success thus a model for other African countries to follow, he added.

Nwanze is also expected to meet with Geraldine Mukeshimana, Minister for Agriculture and top officials at the ministry as well as Claver Gatete, the Minister for Finance and Economic Planning, to discuss the partnership between Ifad and Rwanda and how investments in smallholder family agriculture can contribute toward sustainable rural development.

He will also meet with representatives of United Nations agencies working in Rwanda led by UN Resident Coordinator Lamin Manneh.

Speaking to The New Times, David Florentin Paqui, the Regional Communications Officer for East and Southern and West and Central Africa Divisions at the organisation said the Ifad president will also visit community-based watershed management projects supported by Ifad in Kirehe District for first-hand evaluation on how project beneficiaries have improved their lives and discuss challenges they continue to face.

Ifad has played a significant role in financing and supporting agriculture themed projects since 1981.

So far, the UN international financial institution has financed 15 programmes and projects in Rwanda, contributing $239.4 million (about Rwf165 billion) directly benefiting about 534,300 rural households.