[{"bbox": [96, 153, 1134, 207], "category": "Text", "text": "poverty), SDG 1 (Reducing inequalities) and SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production), SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 15 (Life on Land), SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals)."}, {"bbox": [96, 233, 1134, 343], "category": "Text", "text": "The new European Consensus for Development⁵ states that the EU and its Member States will promote inclusion of men and women in all their diversity, and participation, non-discrimination, equality and equity, transparency and accountability. Thus, the action will rely on methodologically sound and policy-relevant empirical research and develop the evidence base for its projects to foster a gender-transformative approach."}, {"bbox": [85, 370, 323, 401], "category": "Section-header", "text": "# 2 RATIONALE"}, {"bbox": [85, 436, 248, 462], "category": "Section-header", "text": "## 2.1 Context"}, {"bbox": [96, 481, 1134, 746], "category": "Text", "text": "The Rwandan economy is dominated by agriculture, a strategic sector contributing to 25% of the country's total GDP in 2022.⁶ The government acknowledged the importance of the agricultural sector to achieve the ambitious objectives of employment creation, economic transformation, and private sector-led growth. A dedicated strategy for the agriculture sector, the *National Agricultural Policy (NAP)*, has been adopted and operationalised through the 4th *Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation (PSTA 4) 2018-2024*, to support the development of the sector. Furthermore, Rwanda has led extensive Food System Dialogues and has committed to transform its food systems to ensure that all Rwandans have access to affordable healthy and nutritious food by leveraging modern technology and upgraded agriculture infrastructure to reduce food losses, and food waste, and green nature. However, the sector's growth has slowed down in the last years, from +5% between 2012 and 2017 to 2% between 2017 and 2022."}, {"bbox": [96, 776, 1134, 962], "category": "Text", "text": "The predominant value chains in the GDP contribution are tea and coffee, while other, more labour-intensive, and nutritious value chains such as horticulture only represent a small contribution. Promising value chains for economic development include agro-processing, as well as aquaculture and horticulture. Formal businesses in agriculture, forestry and fishing only represented 0.2% (405 establishments) of the overall number of businesses for all economic sectors in 2020, while manufacturing (which includes food processing) accounted for 7.2%.⁷ The overwhelming majority of these businesses are private sector-owned (95.6%), cooperatives owning 1.4% of businesses and the public sector 1%.⁸"}, {"bbox": [96, 991, 1134, 1149], "category": "Text", "text": "The sector is further characterized by a very high informality. It is estimated that over 96% business-oriented enterprises of the sector were operating informally as of 2020. Agriculture remains predominantly traditional with low productivity, with very limited use of modern equipment and methods (0.1% of farmers), use of fertilizers or pesticides (respectively 37% and 11%), as well as irrigation techniques (9%), inducing a high dependence on rainfall. In addition, average agriculture households are very small, with 77% of farmers operating on land smaller than 0.5 hectares.⁸"}, {"bbox": [96, 1179, 1134, 1393], "category": "Text", "text": "Despite this low productivity, small producers contribute to around 75% of the total agricultural production. By 2031, if Rwanda continues its agricultural transformation trajectory, opportunities in value chain development, specialized farming, agripreneurship, agri-tech, and green jobs will emerge. These sectors, currently with minimal engagement in the labour market, present potential for women. When it comes to employment and occupation, the agriculture sector mobilizes 68% of the total working population (estimated at 7.4 million in 2022), with 77% of them being female, and a majority of older aged (65+ yo) people (men and women). The predominant education level of people working in the agriculture sector is a primary school level (65% of farmers), 14% of them have a secondary school level, while 20% didn't receive any education.⁹"}, {"bbox": [85, 1486, 1144, 1559], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁵ Joint statement by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States meeting within the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission (2017/C 210/01) - the new European consensus on development 'our world, our dignity, our future'"}, {"bbox": [85, 1559, 1100, 1581], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁶ Source: NISR, GDP National Accounts 2012, 2017, 2022 - mentioned in ETF report on Employment and Skills in Agriculture (2023)."}, {"bbox": [85, 1580, 1113, 1603], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁷ Source: NISR, Rwanda Establishment Census (REC), 2020 - mentioned in ETF report on Employment and Skills in Agriculture (2023)."}, {"bbox": [85, 1602, 1036, 1625], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁸ Source: NISR Rwanda Agricultural Survey 2020 - mentioned in ETF report on Employment and Skills in Agriculture (2023)."}, {"bbox": [85, 1625, 192, 1644], "category": "Footnote", "text": "⁹ Source: Ibid"}, {"bbox": [1038, 1682, 1144, 1706], "category": "Page-footer", "text": "Page 5 of 32"}]