Learning Event for the Circular Food Systems for Rwanda Program

The event brought together the project’s consortium of partners, including the IKEA Foundation, World Resources Institute (WRI), the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA), the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN), the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE), Resonance, and the National Industrial Research and Development Agency (NIRDA) through the Cleaner Production and Climate Innovation Centre (CPCIC).

Day one of the learning event kicked off with a series of enlightening sessions focused on the transformative potential of circularity in food systems. Media partners were invited to cover the first day, which featured opening remarks from key leaders and a gallery walk showcasing products from MNB, Kigasali Coffee Company, and Golden Insect, as well as presentations from Next Farm, Glory Poultry Farm, Tech Adopter, and Africa Food Supply.

The Business Case for Circularity panel featured speakers who shared insights into their efforts to drive circularity and highlighted exciting opportunities for businesses embracing the circular economy. Next, the Beyond Waste segment showcased entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions to minimize food waste throughout the supply chain, while the Spotlighting Entrepreneurs session provided a deep dive into pioneering water efficiency solutions, with panelists discussing challenges related to water access and strategies for optimizing water use in their businesses.

By highlighting successful circular business models and products developed by participating SMEs, the exhibition illustrated the tangible impact of the CIRF project. The day concluded with the Cohort 1 Showcase Event, where the CIRF program introduced the first cohort of the Technical Assistance Facility, offering an overview of the project and outlining the next steps for the participating entrepreneurs.

Day two included a field visit to Kigasali Coffee Company, where participants learned about the company’s coffee value chain, its innovative use of coffee waste to produce organic fertilizers, and its focus on bolstering women’s employment in coffee selection processes with over 5,000 farmers on site. The visit provided practical insights into the challenges and opportunities of implementing circular practices in real-world settings, emphasizing the importance of technical assistance. This day also featured participatory reflection sessions to discuss CIRF project opportunities and areas for future improvement.

On the final day, the event focused on reflections from the SME workstream discussions, followed by meetings to integrate action points and prioritize next steps for growth.

The Circular Food Systems for Rwanda program, launched in 2021 and funded by the IKEA Foundation, aims to fundamentally transform the country's food systems to be more circular and sustainable. This initiative operates through two interconnected workstreams. The first stream is the Technical Assistance Facility, which collaborates with selected agri-food SMEs to enhance their capabilities in implementing and scaling circular business models. The second stream focuses on Policy and Stakeholder Engagement, working to establish a supportive policy environment and increase stakeholder involvement. This involves creating a multi-stakeholder platform to facilitate dialogue among public, private, and civil society actors, fostering a cohesive approach to the circular economy transition.

Rwanda's proactive stance on circular economy principles makes this program both timely and strategically significant. As a founding member of the African Circular Economy Alliance (ACEA) and the Global Alliance on Circular Economy and Resource Efficiency (GACERE), Rwanda has demonstrated strong leadership in promoting circularity both continentally and globally. Rwanda is the first African nation to launch a national roadmap for the circular economy, with a distinct focus on agriculture, a sector engaging over 70% of the population and contributing 33% to the national GDP (FAO, Rwanda at a Glance). Thus, the shift towards circular food systems presents a tremendous opportunity for economic, social, and environmental advancements.

As Rwanda leads in circular economy efforts, the CIRF Project Learning Event and future initiatives will drive sustainable collaboration and growth, as well as a shared understanding and commitment to advancing the circular economy in Rwanda’s agri-food sector. This signals a bright future for Rwanda's sustainable development journey.